City Mouse & Country Mouse

How do you define luxury?  Or quality of life?

I've been under a greater than average amount of stress of late (people I love being diagnosed with cancer, etc), so of course my body eventually caved, and I got sick.  You know, the attractive throbbing-earache, shivering-fever, no-sense-of-smell-or-taste, lose-your-voice kind of sick, that involves bizarre amounts of phlegm?  One of my besties was going away for a trip recently, so she suggested that I come stay at her place for the weekend to recover.  She thought her home would be more restful for me - that it might be like a mini getaway, without even leaving the city.

Turns out, not only is she thoughtful and sweet, she was also right...

Art by Scott Gustafson - see more here

I've lived my whole life in different cities - some (like Mexico City) larger than others.  I travel reasonably often, and I currently inhabit a modern condo in a fun neighbourhood downtown.  I'm within stumbling distance of a great selection of restaurants, pubs, theatres, and shops, and I enjoy that.  I have no maintenance issues.  My work commute is short.  I can't avoid being aware of which bands are coming to town, which exhibitions are showing, and which new restaurants just opened.  It would take me literally three minutes to step out and pick up an Italian espresso, a bouquet of flowers, a British fashion magazine, a Hungarian salami, a Greek spanikopita, a French cheese, or the latest Scandi home accessory.  (Or... twenty-one minutes to pick up all seven?)  I have a double jetted bathtub in my walk-in bedroom closet, which is a lovely place to relax with a glass of wine after an evening out.  I feel like all of that represents a level of luxury that I never take for granted.  (Especially in the current global economic climate.)  It's easy to run out and meet anyone for a coffee or a pint at a moment's notice.  I have friends in the suburbs, who say that people aren't always willing to come all the way out to visit them - especially in winter.  But... I barbeque on a patio, not in a yard.  I have ten plants, and a fig tree in a pot.  The amount I can save on gas is surely immediately offset by the high cost of prime real estate location.  It's never truly quiet at night on the weekends.  I can see the moon at night, but the stars... not so much.

My friend grew up on a farm, and has an amazing green thumb.  She has seven plants in her kitchen. She knows a lot about fertilizer, and is the proud owner of a wheelbarrow.  Her house is older, and she's had to deal with some unpleasant (ie: expensive) renos involving wiring, plumbing, and structural support.  Her house has some quirks - she can't plug in more than two electric items in her bedroom without blowing a fuse.  But she lives in a pretty, residential neighbourhood on a hill, across from a park.  Along with her flowers, vegetables, and several giant trees, she has a gazebo, a fire pit, a greenhouse, benches, a pond, a hammock, a waterfall, and, of course, a bridge to walk over the pond in her beautifully landscaped little piece of nature.  At night it is quiet and dark, and you can see all the stars.  (From the back yard, the kitchen skylight, or the bedroom balcony - take your pick.)  It's stunning, but has been constant work and expense for her to achieve and maintain.  I think I finally get why she complains about squirrels.

Waking up to a morning coffee with that view, would definitely give me a shot of serenity that I could hold onto, regardless of what the day might have in store.  In addition, relaxing with your glass of wine beside your own flowers, under the stars, listening to the gentle splash of the waterfall would also be a lovely way to decompress in the evening.  It represents a totally different variety of luxury.

So which is better?  I honestly don't know...  Even if I could devise an equation involving amount of serenity, divided by time and responsibility and expense, and multiplied by accessibility to resources, the answer would still be different for everyone.  Is it more about where you are, what you do, or who you're with?  Do you spend long hours in an office to support your quality of life, or on your hands and knees in the dirt?  Or does quality of life for you mean having to do neither?

...All I can say with any certainty is that a large percentage of happiness is appreciating what you have.  And if you're lucky enough to have generous friends, you might even get to share the best of both worlds. ;)