Loving Less in Newfoundland
One of my biggest fears about spending long stretches of time in Newfoundland was my perception of a ‘lack’ of resources. Ian would show me properties up the Great Northern Peninsula in stunningly beautiful and equally stunningly *remote* communities. “But how will I buy stuff?” I questioned.
Thankfully, the Universe called us here to Gros Morne and I conceded that I could get used to living 2 hours away from a Joe Fresh retailer. After six weeks of Island Life I can tell you that surprisingly, I do not miss those conveniences I feared I would. This has not come without a bit of a discovery process, per se, and so I’ll share with you what I’ve deduced:
Question Everything You Think You Need. I’ve come to understand that Prime One-Day Delivery can be both a blessing and a curse. Now that it’s not an option, and you know you’ll have to wait at least a week for an item to arrive, there is an interrogation of sorts that takes place prior to ordering.
“Do I really need this item?” “Can I get it here in town faster?” “When are we going shopping next?”
I can wholeheartedly confirm that the Amazon “Buy Now” button is getting a little dusty and I’m learning to see this space between “Order Now” and “Your Item has Arrived” as a demonstration of personal growth. Plus, I no longer forget what I ordered since the item fought to be in my life after much contemplation. This is peak adulting, yes?
Watch Your Food Waste. We already know that an alarming amount of the food that Canadians buy ends up in the trash. Parents of toddlers know and understand this at their core. But in all seriousness, when those $8.00 strawberries have literally crossed the Ocean to reach you, you best be lovingly caring for every single berry in the clamshell. Fortunately for our family, Ian is what I call skillfully resourceful and a master of making the most of what’s already in the fridge. As with Prime Purchases, I find myself checking in with more questions around food because it’s not as simple as popping out to Walmart to grab lunch supplies for the kids.
“Is anything close to expiring?” “What cereal has been opened the longest?” “How can I serve sliced ham in a new and inventive way?”
And so we eat from our pantry and the kids have taken tinned pears to day camp on more than one occasion. They survived and so will I.
Find New Favourite Things. Though I regularly dream about cranberry pistachio biscotti from Fortinos in Stoney Creek, I do NOT miss the insanity of shopping there on a Sunday afternoon (IMO, some of y’alls may love that). Instead, I look forward to visiting my very favourite café in Norris Point (shoutout Old Store Cafe) and enjoying the best cappuccino in Gros Morne. I can smile at pics of my friends’ sweaterless kids on summer evenings back in Ontario, and then look up to feel the peaceful stoicism of the Long Range Mountains. Allowing yourself to part with what was wipes the slate clean…and that is an exciting thing!
Embrace What Is. I knew I was on the right track when I accepted that trying to replicate a Southern Ontario suburban lifestyle in the heart of Gros Morne National Park was, well, not the vibe. You’ll be so busy processing all the nature around you, you won’t even realize how long you wait for packages, and you definitely won’t be in a big hurry to browse racks of clothing in Winners when you could instead be splashing in Shallow Bay. It’s quite simply, a Totally Different Way of Life, and Nature Rules.
With a bit of creativity and old fashioned Newfoundland resourcefulness, living here with ‘less’ is quite honestly, a pleasure. Fewer choices means less overwhelm (for me, anyway). Longer ship times are causing me to buy less. Fewer resources means people help each other. A mom I had just met gave Maeve an extra bathing cap for the pool. Neighbours share firewood and ask if you need anything when they make a journey into town.
John Lennon said, “There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be…” I’ve never felt I belonged more to a place than here. Even without IKEA.
