SIMPLICITY- AND WHAT IS SAWAFAATRIAB?

POST #3 NOVEMBER 7 2011 YORKIES IN VANCOUVER
While out on my evening walk with my two Yorkshire Terrier friends last night in Vancouver, we strolled past a new house under construction. My doggie buddies wanted to stop of course to sniff out the construction site and leave their liquid calling cards, and as that was happening I had the opportunity to take a closer look. The first thing that struck me was the size of the garage. It was easily 4 times larger than my little cabin back in the Yukon and the thought going through my mind at that moment was about how much space is enough space for an individual to feel at home in. Naturally with a garage this size, the house was large as well. The neighbourhood I am currently living in was probably established in the late 1920's or so, and what becomes very obvious is the rather modest footprint of the established houses in the area. My guess would be that back then, there were probably more people per house than now, and yet this new house under construction would be at least two or maybe even three times the square footage of the older houses. I wonder how many people will occupy it when it is complete? When I was growing up in the '60's I lived in a house which would have been considered to most people who viewed it, a very modest 3 bedroom bungalow, with a semi developed basement. For a while we had 10 people living there, our family of seven, and my aunt and uncle and their daughter living downstairs. I can't say that I ever felt hard done by, due to the lack of room and in fact, plenty of our neighbours had similar size houses that were filled with all of us young baby boomers. Fast forward a generation, and we have smaller family sizes but much bigger houses. Something doesn't seem to add up here, at least not to this ageing baby boomer.
One of the benefits of being a housesitter is I get the opportunity to wander from place to place and compare the living arrangements of various communities. As a general rule, I would have to say that as time has marched on, house sizes have continued to expand and with that expansion of size also comes the corresponding expansion in the size of the mortgage, the taxes, the heating bill etc. etc. My guess is that in late 2011, there would be more than just a few people around the world wondering if they have taken on a bit more than they can chew. Perhaps as more time passes, a simpler lifestyle may become more attractive to more people. Only time will tell.
And on this note of simplicity, we finally come to the title of this weeks blog, and the answer to the question from the many emails I received asking me just what the heck does SAWAFAATRIAB mean, Paul???
Well for that we have to circle back to my little Yorkie buddies, and all of their four legged friends, which I have come to know and love over the many years I've been petsitting. You see, when you spend as much time as I do these days with animals you get to know what they need to get through their day, and it really is pretty simple. They need fresh air to breath, some clean water to drink and some food to eat. Whether I'm observing my pet friends, or watching a seagull go about its business, they all manage to get through their days as long as these things are taken care of. Of course, humans are no different, when it comes to needs. It's the wants that cause many of us to play the keeping up with the Jones' game. So a few weeks back, when I was on Orcas island I put together this string of letters which I thought captured the needs of life.
So SAWAFAATRIAB simply means; SOME AIR, WATER, AND FOOD AND ALL THE REST IS A BONUS.
The Yorkies and I left the construction zone and continued on our night time prowl through the neighbourhood, and as I pondered the complex issue of why it is that some people want so much, and others don't, all the dogs were probably thinking about was the drink of water and food treat that they were going to get once we arrived home. We would all go to bed content and happy tonight.
Until November 14th then,
all the best,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Want Not, Lack Not