My cross!
Your cross?
The real cross
Is made of pounds,
Dollars or francs.
Here I bear my palms for the silly nails
To teach the lack
—The great pain of lack—
Of coin.
--Stephen Crane
Consider the lilies of the field and learn thoroughly how they grow; they neither toil nor spin. Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence was not arrayed like one of these.--Gospel of Matthew
Il faut cultiver notre jardin.
We must cultivate our garden.
--Voltaire
Ruth and I have been now in France for six months. With rare exceptions we have passed this time in Rouen, our little Normand city located one and a half hours outside Paris. Regular followers of the blog will know by now which activities constitute the bulk of our weekly routine. But what of the rest of this country so rich and diverse in landscape and culture?
Alas, despite a deep interest in seeing more of France, we've chosen a life more modest in accord with all we value deeply. One of the most convenient symbols for this accord is money. For those interested, what follows in an account of our monthly expenses here in France and the manner in which we have organized our time and efforts as a result.Rent and utilities: $550
Groceries: $600-$700
Transportation: $50
Recreation: $200-$300
Rent is relatively expensive as we live in the city. We have a one-bedroom/studio apartment with separate kitchen and a shower I can stand up in. Embarking upon our initial search for apartments, we found this to be no small luxury.
Groceries are of course only what we buy at the store. Having switched to an almost exclusively vegan whole-food diet over a year ago, we were initially worried about both the availability of certain high-nutrient staples as well as the temptation to stray from our diet given all the delicious sweet treats, baked goods and savory dishes that make up French cuisine.
In this regard, it has been doubly challenging. The abundance of open-air markets and the high quality of French produce makes vegetable and fruit shopping a pleasure. But, where to find
organic nut butters, whole-grain rice, flaxseed and other little treats that make up such an important part of our diet? Luckily, we've found a store here in town with a good supply of all things organic.
The only drawback as many fellow organic consumers know is the price. How to fork over for that $25 jar of organic almond purée or the $15 for a bag of delicious organic prunes and still make rent? Here it's really an all-or-nothing proposition as regular peanut and other nut butters don't really exist here, the closest thing being Nutella, the tasty but palm-oil-laden French substitute.
And in regards to restaurants, we allot only so much each month to entertainment. Thus, each outing is a truly dynamic experience, both in the sense of difference to our regular routine but also in the fact of it being generally the only time we partake of the rich and delicious bounty of French cuisine. Additionally, we have been blessed to receive numerous invitations from French friends to dine in home, experiences which have been as rich and fulfilling as any in a restaurant. Often times, the atmosphere is far more conducive to really appreciating the delicious, new offerings.In truth, even sticking to our valued nutritional principles we are never so hard up as to come close to missing rent. However, it has begged the question of certain priorities in our life.
Such as whether to forgo the weekly organic almond butter purchase in the name of saving for a few days travel. But I must say this has been a most joyous opportunity to examine many of the principal impulses in our lives.Having our income cut in half in comparison to back home has been an opportunity to confront many of the most pressing concerns in modern life. How to negotiate such difficult balances as those between time and money, leisure and work, peace and activity. As Ruth has no work permit, we have been forced to reconsider not only our budget but our relationship as well. Reduction in funds has translated to an increase in time spent together. This largely means more fun for both of us, but intuits certain key attentions paid to the maintenance of the relationship and each person's needs.
Fundamental questions of desire and gratitude have become apparent as well. Travel is a key example. Despite living only 50 miles from the coast, we have yet to visit it. Nor have we seen other key areas or visited Paris more than two or three times. Often times I dream of all the areas I've read and studied so much about and that we've yet to visit, and find a certain melancholy affecting my mood. And yet by all standards I, and Ruth, are doing exactly what we've set out to do. We are hardly lacking in blessings either here or at home. And yet the push for more must constantly be negotiated.
Perhaps it's upbringing or just human nature, but even amidst such keen abundance, I find gratitude to be a most difficult proposition, slipping in and out of the flow of days and months. Here as at home, a balance between quiet and dynamic meditation continues to be the surest means to invite this gratitude into our life. In this light, certain activities rendered necessary by our lifestyle choices take on an even greater importance in terms of appreciation. My two feet serve not just as a chief means of transportation, but as a way to reflect upon and understand some of the most basic aspects of our shared humanity.Thus, daily exposure to the sun and rain, the beauty and hardship that each hill and crowded street presents are a means to digest the newness of each day and the considerable influence we wield as denizens of a relatively privileged western world, both as consumers and human beings. I am able to consider how best to make use of my time, passion and dollars (or euros for the time being). Distance, effort and achievement come to stand for something again as I reappropriate so much of our basic human nature lost to technology.
Would this gratitude be possible for us with a different
relationship to money? Assuredly. But would it be as likely? I can't answer. If we had traveled more we would not have built the strong bonds we now enjoy with our new friends. Necessity has pushed Ruth and I to pursue this adventure in France and I hope that certain small details as offered here might help our readers to appreciate more fully the life and challenges there within.
