Miles from Nowhere
Think I’ll take my time
To get there
To get there
– Cat Stevens
No Position, No Time
By Anke Wagner
Friends gave us our VHF base station radio. This was something we always eventually wanted but never got around to buying. The little bit of radio communication we were willing to engage in could easily be covered by our hand-held.
After mounting the antenna, installing the radio and hooking everything up it was time to see if it worked.
We switched it on and on the screen appeared the statement:
NO POSITION
NO TIME
(No GPS, as a matter of fact, and therefore neither of the above.)
Wow, I thought, how perfect! That fits us to a T!!
And what a luxury and privilege it is to be able to live that way, at least in most stretches of our life so far. Not to have a position geographically, politically, religiously… you name it.
And time, being absolute our own, regardless of the numbers on the screen or arms of a clock, pointing accusingly at bygone minutes.
The yin side…
Keeping it simple, not in need of buying fuel, we can decide on the dry stretch of weather to bring in the needed wood for cooking and heating. Having a lot of dried goods, foraging and fishing allows us to stay in nooks and crannies, estuaries and secluded coves for months on end in blissful solitude! Until we feel the need for change.
But there is also a yang side to this…
Previous years and the last 2 winters we pulled into a small community, live in the harbor, house-sit where dogs, cats and critters need company, supervision and care and reach out with volunteer work.
A mutual need is met with friendships and social interaction, things get done, our input shows real-time results. We work for a greater good and receive it in return.
Experiencing first-hand that nobody is an island, on the one hand, but also feeling that all is temporary in the big and small picture.
We can give with a great amount of energy, patience and tolerance because we have this little back door always open…
No position.
No time.
Like a Zen koan, a blinking radio screen. All you have to do is untie…
…and with that option you find the reason why you’re doing what you are doing.
We still have obligations ashore, but if we are not totally decrepit buy the time my Dad passes we will fallow a version of your example.
ReplyDeleteI believe a “wind-a-bago” is cheaper than a Winabago…
Hi Charles
DeleteYes life seems never just straight forward, it's awesome that you can hold on to your plans and dreams for the future , whatever that might be when it comes ,wish you guys wind under your wings
Thank you kind lady. It is an honor to be here for my Dad, a small pay back for all the times he has been there for me.
DeleteGreat text! No position, no time seen like la zen or other meditative tradition high goal... but not only on mind! It seems so liberating to have this open, blank space near! Thank you Anke 🙏
ReplyDeleteHi Lucas
DeleteYes ,this was fun to muse about and it is a high goal ,funny how hard it is to remember from day to day and it is not necessarily easy to find the thermals to get you there .
I guess they ment it when they talk of a daily practice 😉
Community is important to human beings as you have shared but it does not have to be a big community. Obviously, Vancouver or Seattle are bigger than anyone needs and I don't think I can have meaningful relationships with more than about 100 people(I've heard higher but I have trouble keeping that many in my head). Meaningful relationships range from deep like a marriage to cursory like the store owner you don't really know except when doing business. 100 people that travel in the same train car during rush hour doesn't count.
ReplyDeleteHi Len,
DeleteAnke intends to reply to her posts, so I'll just mention Dunbar's Number (~150)... a proposed limit to the number of meaningful relationships.
Discussion Links:
https://www.google.com/search?q=dunbar+number&rlz=1CAERAF_enUS766US774&oq=dunbar+number&aqs=chrome..69i57.3399j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Dave Z
Hi Len
DeleteMeaningful connections can be forged with all kinds of beings but I agree and experience it myself that time ,geography and ones own energy level are a natural governor on the give and take of energies .
An interesting question though for oneself where once preferences lie .
Small community, big city.... connections made in virtual space etc.