Signpost: The Life Gap

So, with a pair of contrasting trips done this year, it struck me mostly just how different they had been: Ecuador, with it's simplicity of life and lacking any kind of material wealth, and Europe, the heartland of Western civilization, massed with culture and material wealth in fantastic proportions. I have just been to the two extremes of the human life on this planet. They couldn't be much more contrasting. What divided them also, regardless of the quality of the life of they lived, was two different perceptions of the world and ultimately, two different ways of living. Ecuador lived for the present, having no need or power to focus too much into the future. It lacked any kind of modern wealth and thus made the most of what it did have, and every small thing, every day, was celebrated with an unshakable happiness and satisfaction in life. And Europe, with it's eye on the future, on progress, and the high quality of life lived by it's denizens, and found it's satisfaction in always moving forward and waiting to reap it's fruit, thus lacking the total satisfaction with the present. Each had, basically, what the other lacked, fundamentally because they are looking at life from different perspectives. One on present, the other on the future. One on doing all the work before reaping the fruit, the other did a little work each day took a little fruit. There are many critics of both ways of living, but they do in fact ultimately lead to the same conclusion, and each has it's own pros and cons. While some people campaign one over the other, I disagree, it is totally up the individual which road they take, as each comes with it's own rewards and sacrifices. It is something that more people should consider, as the majority of people think there is only one way of living, and those not lucky enough to be able to make it. Life is always about choices, and this is one I think more people should consider.