For some reason 2026 has been about preparation, about organisation.
I bought a new bike, to enjoy it while I am still able to! I did not want to get to 70 years old and wish I had done it earlier … I did not want to ask myself ‘Why did I not?” I have already done 1250 kms on that beauty and I am so happy I bought it. (My old bike had done over 21,000 kms.) You see … the body needs to move! Exercise is vital! I push myself because I can, I crank up the pace, I am not out on that bike for a gentle cruise! And for me, and many others, cycling is great therapy for life stresses and worries.
I also decided that, after thinking about it for a long time, I wanted raised gardens to grow vegetables in. I thought I would just build them myself. I am perfectly capable of it. Then I thought some more, did some investigating into concrete block gardens, price of macrocarpa wood, measurements, idea. And then … I contacted a man who builds them and asked him for a quote. The cost was more than I thought … but less than I spent last year getting my commuter bike serviced and worn parts replaced. So … I gave him the go ahead to build me my gardens and I set to work clearing the space.
I consulted my gardening friends for advice on correct mix of compost, soil, and sand/pumice ratios.I got some great advice, and ordered all of that ahead of the gardens.
Why bother?
Because our modern life these days does not work. People spend an extravagant amount of time on social media, scrolling, posting pics of lunch and dinner, making videos, insulting other people, venting their arrogance, rage, ignorance, and bias. It got so bad that I decided … enough. I don’t want to live amidst that … so even though I did not spend a lot of time on social media, I decided to spend even less. I wanted to refocus my energy into more meaningful pursuits. Hence the new bike, and the gardens. Fitness, nutrition, and I love gardening. There is something therapeutic about getting one’s hands in the soil and learning to master the art of growing food.
It does not matter how much space we have … we can grow some food. And we should. Tomatoes in pots. Peas and beans up the fence. Blueberries or other berries against the fenceline. Dig up the tiny lawn and turn it into a vegetable garden.
We buy everything from the supermarket, and that is very convenient and supports other businesses. But with the time we save from not growing anything, nor gardening, not getting out and exercising … what are we doing with that time? Frittering it away.
Work life balance is vital. But so often we seem to live to work, not the other way around. Less time on social media. I mean seriously, everywhere you look people are on their phones. It is not only unhealthy, it is addiction. It is a socially acceptable addiction.
My life is not about the phone. My life is about loving life!!! My life is about relishing every moment, and enjoying it all, it is about listening to the wind and the birds, the traffic and the dogs barking. It is about the conversations with people and the face to face interactions. And it is about rest time, ME time, healing time, exercise time, rejuvenation time, and rebalancing time, fun times. It is about putting technology aside and going back to living a simple, yet very satisfying life.
Think back before television, radios, city living. What would you do without all of that? Think about it.
I dare you to take a day away from technology. Why? To prove a point to yourself, to prove that you do or do not have an addiction. But please, take a day away from it all … leave the phone alone, don’t even look at it. There is such a sense of peace when we are not tethered to the phone.
I see people walking their dogs and they are listening to music or have the earbuds in and are actually on a phone call. Why? Why the hell are you on a phone call? Walk your dog, be present with the dog don’t ignore him and think you are doing him a great service! When I walk my dog I am present, walking with him, observing him, noticing the way he responds to things, and keeping an eye out for other people and dogs.
Technology is a double edged sword and we must pay care to how we use it and how often we use it.
Get back to living life. Learn a hobby, take up a sport, read a book (yes an actual book), got for a walk, sit in the park and people watch, listen to the birds, observe the trees and plants, feel your body moving. Each day that we live is a day we will not live again, so make it rich. Go to bed at night and list all the things you are grateful for, even if it is just a perfect cup of tea, or sitting in the sun, or listening to the rain. There is something to be grateful for in every single day!