Little boxes

I recently heard the song Little Boxes on the television and reflected the effect it had on my outlook on life. While I imagine it was mean't to be a humorous song, it was anything but for me. It shaped my views on mediocrity and how I didn't want to spend my life chasing the same outcomes of leaving school, meeting a girl, engagement, marriage, kids, mortgage, divorce, sell the house and split the proceeds, child support and retirement spent with grandchildren who prefer the other grandparents to you.

Now don't get me wrong, this is an honourable life aspiration that more than 50% of the population experiences - it just isn't for me. I learned this song in primary school with the effect on a pre-teenage boy still strong in a mid forties man.

John Mellencamp's Pink Houses from his uh hah album further reinforced the message and strengthened my desire to lead an alternative lifestyle. I always felt Mellencamp expressed a very poignant view of the current state of America. I thought couldn't really lead a Bohemian lifestyle as I'm not the arty type. That being said, my choice of weapons is in the form of written words, I do identify with the prose of Maugham, Fitzgerald and Hemingway respecting their timeless work.

Whilst I left school early after just reaching 16, I took the well worn path of a 4 year technical apprenticeship. After finishing a four year commitment, I immediately began saving a deposit for two years and undertook a mortgage at age 22. Whilst undertaking further technical trade studies, the mortgage was repaid in full 6 years later at age 28 and the life free of commitment began. It took a while, but I feel I escaped the little boxes I tried so hard to avoid, but then again, I now own on of those little boxes on the hillside - not so different after all.