Recently we had long talks around the dinner table about the way things are getting more and more complicated around us. I'm talking about little things, not trying to end the famine in Africa or conducting world peace. You know, the little things like kids' birthday parties, family holidays, even dinners and gatherings with friends.
We too often see people around us putting so much effort into one tiny event and then instead of having good time and simply enjoying the moment, everything gets so ceremonial, pompous, overdone. Or plainly - NOT FUN.
Seems to me that there is hardly any place nowadays for spontaneity. Why is it taking weeks to set up a date for dinner with friends? Where are all the easy going birthday parties where the children play pass-the-parcel and musical chairs whilst making a mess and getting their face smudged with a simple-delicious chocolate cake, while their parents enjoy themselves instead of falling apart after a month of preparations?
Is it just me thinking everything's getting more and more complicated and often exaggerated?
Just wishing the world could be a little less serious and little more laid back, you know?
* Illustration by me.
so true - the time it takes to fix a skype date with my friends is simply horrifiying. didnt we just use to call each other spontantely? or just showed up at a friends house with a bottle of wine? the world gets more and more complicated - on the small and the big scale. dont even want to start thinking about the big scale.... xx
ReplyDeleteYou put the right words on some thoughts i was keeping in my head. I know exactly what you mean.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I really want to try to embrace simple life, just enjoy the small things and have lots of fun. I hope as Felix gets older I can instill those values in him as well, I foresee lots of simple backyard birthday parties like the ones from my childhood :)
ReplyDeleteSo true! Everyone's always busy busy busy and due to that I guess people feel more obliged to make it special when they meet up. That's what I feel, kind of. But I have to say that, with my closest friends, it's still as spontaneous and easy. So that's saying something! Thanks for your thoughts Galit, as ever.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!
ReplyDeleteLove, Tal
I totally agree... I can get so overwhelmed by it all sometimes... it is no fun! I think we all put way too much pressure on ourselves to do the best we can with parties and dinners... when really all that's important in the end is spending and enjoying time with family and friends... no matter how unglamourous! Some of the best times I have had have been totally spontanious!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and Love your illustration :)
i agree!! i hate this quality in me and so half the time i end up realizing it and just saying 'screw it!' i don't care if things are perfect or not. like i have visitors coming tonight and i just gave up on stressing if my house is as clean as it can be or whatever. they will deal with it!
ReplyDeleteok crazy thing is last night we were sitting around the dining table over dinner having THE SAME discussion! We focused on the fact that things are becoming way over done... and then we got onto the topic of photography. This is slightly off track to what you were saying, but gets to the same point :) We were looking through some snaps I'd taken of a weekend away...I captured just about every movement of every second! Which was great. But it got us thinking... what happened to the old days where people would sit back to a good, simple story describing the happenings behind only one or two photos - instead of an entire library uploaded from our phones that ends up speaking for itself. My/our point was that there's nothing wrong with taking a photo (and I will never stop...) but I do agree that we need to simplify things a tad, put the camera down, stop uploading to facebook and actually live the moments again. Brings me back to what you were saying - give the kids a nice bit of simple chocolate cake and Get things back to basics.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, thank you so much for your lovely comment. I was so touched to hear you spent your tea break reading through my posts. Funny thing is, as a blogger I often wonder how or if anyone finds what I post about as interesting as I think it is... so, thanks!! I hope you liked it. you made my day.
Hope to have you visit again soon and follow if you like. Maria x
I completely agree Galit ... why do even the simplest of things now seem to be oh so complicated and complex? Life should be more joyous and more spontaneous ... I love the way you think! :)
ReplyDeletei totally agree. although the full on crazy is more in usa than in uk, and certainly not in europe.
ReplyDeleteyou must know about knifolk magazine, right?
Being single, I have the luxury of being laid back about whatever I want to be laid back about! Yes, it seems so many of my friends with children like to do these 'events', and my gosh, they stress ME out, and I'm not even a part of it. I think it sets a very high standard for the child, as well as for all its friends. Everyone should just stop. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely not just you. I wish it was easier to enjoy the simple things in life.
ReplyDelete