Country Pleasures and City Nightmares

[gruntal]

Going to my skin doctor for the first time, not knowing what painfull precedures I am commiting myself to; I take a seldom used access road on the side of the freeway and arrive at a very plain half vacant storefront building. It it only one of a few buildings on that street! Inside everything is clean and neat and above all sanitary. The doctor appears to be a graduate of Loma Linda University. That is somewhat comforting as I used to pig out on Loma Linda Vegetarian Wieners. We talk a bit about the advantages of living in the country as he deftly clips and snips off a tissue sample. Afterwards I go home in the drizzle and wave at the passing rabbits along the road and say: "I hope it isn't cancer!".

Contrast that to visiting my brother in the emergency hospital near the Los Angeles Airport. The myriad cars and building blur into a semi-comprehensible collage of anything and everything and it is frankly hard to tell which is friendly and which is just hype. Signs galore admonishing me to do what? Buy? Sell? Stop? Go? Do not loiter?! No Left Turn! Staying even a comfortable amout of time with my brother to visit and do some chores cost me seemingly as much as $20.00 to pay to get out of their parking lot. This is a major metropalitan area and he is a retired professional but his level of care doesnt seem to be any better then what I am getting now as a welfare recipient in the "boonies". It sure must cost a whole lot more judging by just what it cost me to park.

Is it my imagination or hasn't human civilization advanced where people could ineract with each other? What experience did living down on the farm bring but how to get up very early and work yourself to death pushing dirt when you wern't shoveling it up for disposal. Did milking the cow lead to deep philosopical discussions? Was MOO@! the origonal mantra? But now it seems what was meant to be dynamic and stimulating has retrogressed to lathargy. What I see coming out of the cities now is distorted thoughts and dysfunctional life styles. The rural life isnt just more simple; it encreasingly is where things happen because it invites a more balanced view of life.

As above so below. At one point in time we sought to travel to places of enlightemment and now we seek to flee from places of confusion. Maybe it doesn't matter where we are that much but I wonder if it isn't much easier where there is less distraction. If not downright moral and political decay. I used to be skeptical of the "hill billy preacher"; now I am very cautious of anyone wearing a busines suit with well manicured finger nails.

But never mind me. What do you think? The question is: do you think spirituality is to be found in mecas of learning replete with skyscapers to house them? Or does having 3,000,000 persons as your next door neighbors preclude ever having to actually do or be anything new and origonal? Does living with dust and dirt (and occaisonal grass when if ever it rains here) actually enhance your chances of finding the answers you seek about life and nature because you seem to be so much closer to it?

[sparklekaz]

Hi George,

My experience of healthcare in a rural area is much better then in a city or town. The waiting lists are shorter. The medical staff know your name and remember you and have more time to talk to you. For someone who hates going to the doctors or having any kind of medical proceedure done, the talking too does more far more for my wellbeing then high tech equipment and specialists with upteen letters after their names who prefer the faster pace and better facilities of teaching hospitals could ever do. To them you are just another national health number. Someone whose face is forgotten as soon as you leave.

There are pro's and cons for living anywhere I guess. In the city, wages are higher, and on the whole eating is cheaper, because there are more customers and so prices are kept low and competative. Rural living can be expensive without the choice. People live in towns and cities because they like all the amenities and socialising. But this fast pace of life does have many burn out casualties who escape to the country to recharge their energetic batteries and clear their heads.

Country living is simpler. Though I am sure people being people can get stressed out anywhere. Family life and work problems are the same wherever you live. The advantage of living in the sticks, is that the opportunities to get out and cool down and relax are easily available. For me there is nothing like being out in nature for reconnecting with a sense of inner peace. Just looking at a simple scene can bring me peace in a way nothing else can. I think out in nature, many feel closer to God, then they do in any church, temple or mosque.

I am thinking of you and wishing you well with the results of your tests.

Love and light
Kaz

[Ishtahota]

People are the wild cards in my world. I do not know what the person on the corner is going to do. I do know what the bear, the mountain lion, and all of the other critters in the back yard are going to do.

[clara927]

Hello Gruntal,

I think this topic is really interesting especially because I've grown up in a city area most of my life. I know I used to be intimidated by large building and skyscrapers. I also had a very heavy feeling whenever I was traveling through certain parts of the city. It felt crowded not just physically but in other ways too. Because I needed to travel into the more city for work and other reasons in the past few years, I guess I've grown numb to the heavy feeling I would get. Now it's only mildly uncomfortable. I live in a city because I'm used to it, I don't think it's the best place but I was born here I'm familiar with the area. I really liked the landscape of the area where i went to school. and sometimes ive thouht about packing my bags and moving to a random small town, just to be in another environment. It would require a certain amount of courage for me to do that especially since I don't have very many job skills and wonder if there would be any jobs available. I feel that whether you are in a city or the country you can still be isolated. Though in the country you have nature to commune with and maybe give you a sense of peace. The city seems colder when you're alone.
Ishtahota, I feel like animals have something to teach us. When I step out of my house and see one I usually feel at least a little better about life. Though when you say that you don't know what you're getting with humans, you might want to remember that you are human too

[aceofcups]

Just my quick thoughts...

I have lived in heart of NYC for 20 years and now in rural upstate NY for 20. Both of them have had their good and likewise their challenging qualities and aspects.. Personally I have found spirituality can be found anywhere if one is seeking or centered within.. We vibrationally attract to us -- the energy, interests and people which harmonize with our interests and our karma.

Also when you talked about Linda Loma..reminded me of Worthington's Frichik salads I use to love to make 30 years ago. Haven't seen their stuff in health foods stores here in years.