It has occurred to me that I am living a life that is somewhat in the past. And I’m doing it by choice. For the most part, anyway. I’ve realized there are a few things that I don’t own that most of my friends, even my old hippie friends, do possess.

Let’s start with a smartphone. I’m not so stubborn and stupid not to own a cell phone at all, but it’s a flip phone, not a smartphone. I realize how important it is to have a way to reach people and to be reached. I can even send and receive texts. But I don’t need internet access 24/7. When I’m on vacation I go days at a time without even going online. And I don’t really miss it. I also know that once you get a smartphone, there is no going back. Some of my friends are addicted to looking at their phones and they don’t even realize that they’re being rude. Or maybe it’s not even considered rude anymore. I just know that’s not what I want to be.

I also don’t own a dishwasher. I have a small kitchen and there’s really no room for a dishwasher. But honestly, I don’t think I’d want one if I could fit it in the kitchen. Washing dishes is warm and soapy, and it’s not physically taxing at all. Plus there is no loading and unloading. Maybe a dishwasher would come in handy if I had to feed a slew of people at once, but there are only two of us, and I find washing dishes kind of relaxing. And the idea of dirty dishes sitting for a couple of days anywhere, even a dishwasher, grosses me out.

A microwave oven. I used to own one, but I didn’t use it very much. In fact, I was always a little afraid of it. After we had a house fire in 2015 we dumped the old microwave and never replaced it. I don’t miss it at all. Unfortunately, many food makers make food specifically for the microwave, but I can do without food like that. I do have another friend that has never owned a microwave, and she does just fine.

I guess those three are the big ones. I also only own one computer. A laptop that both my boyfriend and I use. Yup, we take turns. Am I a caveman? Maybe in your eyes. But the truth is, I really have no complaints about what I don’t have. And I’m counting my blessings about what I do have. How about you? Is there anything you’ve learned to live without?   

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