Hello Folks, In Daniel Defoe's Story, Robinson Crusoe, Defoe's speaks of Robinson Crusoe's daring leap into the ocean as the ship he was sailing on began to sank. He said, Robinson Crusoe jumped off the ship naked, filling his pockets with everything that he needed to survive. I ask you folks to see that in a figurative way, (the way Daniel Defoe probably meant it) and apply it to your daily struggles and tribulations. Obviously, Robinson had no pockets (in a physical sense) to fill. But, he took with him his wits. Using his wits, he managed to survive many years on his tropical island. Imagine yourself being said Robinson and your homestead being said tropical island. What would your wits provide you with that would allow you to survive? How far would you go to satisfy your wants, as did Robinson? Now, Daniel Defoe's epic, Robinson Crusoe was not just a story about a shipwrecked soul lost to his own devices on a desert island. It was a story about you and me satisfying our inner needs of happiness. Robinson quickly supplied his needs and eventually all of his wants but, never was he content or happy. Even, after being rescued, he replies that he takes with him his loneliness. Happiness is not measured by how much you have or how much you want. It is an on going process of self-determination. You make your own happiness by carving out a life for yourself. It is something that can not be given to you. It is something that occurs when you look at the resources you have available and do the best with what you have. Self-determination is an asset to the homesteader! It is the key to happiness. Without it, what can drive you to succeed in your ventures? Without it you are just a dreamer. A person with self-determination takes nothing for granted. To him even bare necessities are a luxury. He made them. He created them. A famous person once said, that when a man is creating, he is at his highest level of achievement. Are you at your highest level of achievement? Are you creating? If you are, I am sure you found that your "pockets are full of all the things that you need to survive". Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), September 02, 2001

Answers

Wow! I'm impressed!

-- Bonnie (chilton@stateline-isp.com), September 02, 2001.

I'm impressed too!

And, I'm happy.

-- marcee king (thathope@mwt.net), September 02, 2001.

Anyone like "Castaway" as much as I did?

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), September 04, 2001.