Peace in the countryside
Sunday, 4. August, 2019--
I wake up refreshed this morning, despite overcast skies. I feel fortunate enough to live in Slovakia, where I enjoy a peaceful, relatively hassle-free life. But I am truly blessed to be in Sweden. It's incredibly peaceful here. As I read the news of yet another mass shooting in the United States (this time at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas), I think about many things, what it means to be happy, free, and safe, and live within ones means, not having too much. I think it's safe to say here is a nation of happy, modest people. They have everything they need and they do not feel the need to boast about it. They don't drive flashy cars nor show off by living at the ritziest mansion at the top of the hill. They practice lagom, or modesty. Inte för mycket och inte för lite. Not too much and not too little. And common sense rules here. Sure, people have guns, but they know rigid laws will protect them. I bought a handmade knife and leather sheath at the Viking market yesterday. They're handy when you're on a long hike. At any rate, I finally found one and clipped it to my belt. When I arrived home, Rune, Zuza's brother-in-law, informed me, "Oh, you're not supposed to carry knives around larger than a small pocket knife. It's illegal in Sweden." I'd seen some people carrying them around at the market as part of the historical reenactment. Some people were using them to carve wood or slice meat. Maybe they're allowed here. Or no one cares. But there's a sense to things in Sweden. I took the knife off my belt and left it in the room.
After dinner on the deck (we had grilled beer can chicken, grilled veggies, and potatoes), we went outside to enjoy the cool of the evening. Even at 9:00, it's possible to be out enjoying the last of the daylight. We played badminton, pumped up the tires and lubricated the chains of the bikes in preparation for tomorrow's ride, and went for a walk in the woods and fields behind the house. The kids and Rune got out the quad and we took that through a joyride through the countryside. The kids have a great life here. They have lots of room to play and can do pretty much anything they want. It's safe here, too, and the kids know common sense. Ten-year-old Oliver handled the quad with great skill and finesse. He drove it not too slow but not too fast. Yeah, lagom at it's finest.