Times and Things

"It's the simple things in life that make living worthwhile-

sweet fundamental things such as love."

-Laura Ingalls Wilder

My neighbor who came from a city where her husband

worked for a salary said to me,

"There is a great difference between having a good paycheck

coming twice a month or having only the little cash one can take

in on a small farm. Why we scarcely have any money at all to spend!"

"You spent the paycheck for your living expenses did you not?" I asked.

"All of it," she answered. Every bit! We never could save a cent of it."

"And you have your living now off the farm?" said I.

"Yes and a good one," she replied,  "With a little left over. But it was

great fun spending the paycheck. If we'd had a little less fun, we might 

have had more left."

All of which brings us to the question the little girl asked: "Would

you rather have times or things-good times to remember or things to

keep, like bank accounts, homes of our own, and such things?"

Things alone are very unsatisfying.  Happiness is not to be found

in money or in houses and lands, not even in modern kitchens or a late

model motor car. Such things add to our happiness only because of

the pleasant times they bring us.

But times would be bad without some things. We cannot enjoy

ourselves if we are worried over how we shall pay our bills or the

taxes or buy what the children need.

And so we must mix our times and things, but let's mix'em with brains,

as the famous artist said he mixed his paints, using good judgment, in

the amount we take.

"Times and Things"

(July 1922)

By Laura Ingalls Wilder

An essay from the book,

"Little House In The Ozarks"

A Laura Ingalls Wilder Sampler

The Rediscovered Writings"

Edited by Stephen Hines

1991 Guidepost Edition