Keeping it simple
A scene somewhere along the road on the way to Illinois. DESHA UTSICK/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS Copyright - Dreams by Desha / Desha Utsick
Bella, my four-legged sidekick, and I were driving to Illinois last week for a speaking engagement, and we saw so many wonderful and beautiful scenes along the way.
Sometimes when I see scenes such as this photo, the one word that pops out to me is "simplicity."
Such a simple, beautiful scene, that can make the mind wander, and wonder, if you let it.
It makes me wonder what life was like way back. These scenes tend to portray such simplicity and humbleness. I know people had their own challenges back then, as we do today, but I can't help but wonder what it was like.
I can't help but think they also watched the world evolve into something of which they may not have liked, just as many do so, today.
As we drove from Indiana to Illinois on this particular day, we saw such beautiful scenes along the way - old weathered barns and silos, newer ones, stormy-looking clouds, beautiful clouds such as here, such beautiful soft and filtered light, and so much more. I saw many farmers in their fields getting them ready ... I saw a lot of dirt and dust from their tractors, and just had such a nice time taking in the scenery while driving.
I just wonder what life was like back then, and if it looked anything like today, on these farms.
I bet there was longing was still there - for a more peaceful world. A more simple way to live. For suffering to end. For sorrow to go out the window. Just like it's here, today.
And you know what? It can be that way while we are still here. We don't have to get caught up in the stuff going on around us, to us, and against us ... we can still be at peace deep down. We can be in this world, but not really of this world ... but kind of stand on the outside, looking in. We can have peace in knowing that this is all temporary. True inner peace ... there is nothing like it.
I love simplicity. There is nothing like that, either.
So, here you have this little scene from along the way, taken on April 17. It was taken in Illinois. I couldn't tell you where. And I like it that way.
Desha Utsick is a Jim Thorpe resident who writes occasional columns.
