Part of the Problem with Today’s World is No One Snaps Beans with Grandma Anymore

I recently saw a quote that took me back to my childhood. The quote was referring to how no one snapped green beans with grandma anymore and how it is part of the problem with the world today. Now if you didn’t have a grandma that gardened or canned this concept might seem a bit foreign. For me though growing up in Southern Virginia and coming from a long line of farmers snapping green beans on the porch was a thing.

I have fond memories of sitting at my grandma’s feet with a plastic washtub bucket as she sat in the rocking chair and snapped green beans into it. This also, was true about sitting outside on the porch taking the butter beans out of their shell too. Reflecting on this reminds me of a slower pace and a time. Im not that old but I am from a generation that got to experience what life was like before social media, where pressure from peers, and metrics didn’t exist. The household phone hung on the wall in the kitchen and there were no cell phones. When people left work they made sure that it didn’t hit the dinner table or interrupt the family TV time.

Harvest Time and Unity

Harvest time or cooking up large quantities of food back then brought people together. Men and women sat on porches in unity snapping, peeling, or cutting up food into the late evenings. The time was used to talk and catch up with one another often kin people. Some used the time to gossip and others used it to trade recipes and family food secrets. However, this time of food preparation and harvest was used it was always a time of community and unity.

Looking at everything that goes on in the current world and the apparent lack of unity I can’t help but think we all need to take a lesson from those simpler times. Going out of the house without a cell phone feels like a missing link and many of us convince ourselves we need it to stay on top of clients and sales. Although I wonder how much of this demand is really in our minds. Many people were very successful before them and supported families just fine.

The more we depend on technology it seems the personal connections between people are fading away. A lot of people would rather text than make a phone call or email instead of writing a personalized note. Most children I know can’t even read cursive handwriting and I remember it was one of the first things we learned in the third grade. Technology is awesome and the advantages may outnumber the cons, but I can’t help to reach for things that make me nostalgic the older I get.

I’d love nothing more than to go back to sitting on the porch with my grandma or Nanny surrounded by family and the pets, listening to the chatter and snapping crisp green beans. I have a feeling I’m not the only one. A Google search will prove that people are stressed and in need to find ways to unplug. The quest for a simplistic way of life might be more sought out than the media or popular culture is leading on.

Choosing a Slower Pace of Life

Sometimes we get caught up in the world’s ideas and other people’s dreams for us and forget the simplicity. I found out the hard way skyscraper penthouses, bustling streets filled with traffic, and people stepping on each other going up the corporate ladder weren’t really for me. I left that world because no matter how hard I tried to fit into that role I could not.

I am not a city girl and my roots in the land, the need to run barefoot, cuddle farm animals, and drive down old dirt roads with fields of cows is what makes my heart tick. In the middle of nowhere things are quiet and the farm animals don’t judge. Turns out I didn’t need all those pieces of paper on my wall or a big bank account to be complete after all.

I had hidden things I originally dreamed about as a child because they didn’t fall into the dreams others had for me. I was pushed to go to college because no one else did and when I was done I needed to keep going and get the MBA too. I was expected to have the six-figure job and all the things that went with it. While living someone else’s dreams I got to see a lot of world, bought a Porsche, flew in private jets and once lived in a beautiful penthouse overlooking the Windy City.

I can’t say I didn’t have fun but at the end of the day I was mentally tired, stressed and always felt like I was in a race. Deep down all I ever wanted to do was share my love of this land and good food with anyone that would listen. I dreamed of having lots of animals (preferably the ones no one else wanted) and to be a happy place for those that needed it.

It took me a long time to allow myself to do what I wanted and not concern myself with the dreams of others or the pressures from society. So, if you’re missing a simpler way of life or just want to learn to slow down don’t be afraid to leave the life you don’t like or try something new. It’s hard to listen to your own thoughts and to make your own path with so much static around. I promise though finding peace is worth everything!

I’ve forced myself to figure out ways to incorporate more personal connections into my life. I refuse to agree with everything I see in this impersonal world or to believe everyone is cold and non-friendly. I still smile at people and say hello when I meet them even if they may not respond. I think both are much needed. I try to share a bit of my time with others who seem to want to talk, no matter how busy I think I am. In the end, I think it is the little things like a wave, handwritten notes, and sharing small talk that can connect us.

I make time to sit on my front porch in my rocker just like my grandma used to do and thank God for the little things like my blind kitten with a half of tail rescued from the side of the road, the sound of birds overhead, the smell of salt in the air where I live, fresh eggs for breakfast and for those that love me for me. Life is short why live it for someone else? Maybe even try your hand at growing your own green beans to snap.