Our money was as scarce as the passing buses, so even ice cream and cappuccinos were rare treats. Still, we enjoyed the long walks pulling our nifty 2-wheeled shopping bag, talking and singing all the way. We never felt deprived, except maybe in cold rainy weather.
And indeed, we did feel spoiled after we got our first TV, a tiny second-hand, black-and-white model.
We had little
Those were days when we had very little. But that first little TV ushered in a new era of inexpensive family fun! The kids loved watching reruns of shows like Little House on the Prairie and Fury Brave Stallion. (Listen to the Italian theme song below). We learned Italian watching those old shows and Italy’s Wheel of Fortune!
In those days, Canale 4 aired old Disney movies every week. Our kids loved them so much that they always bought the Guida TV to see what movie was playing that Saturday night. And a VHS tape (remember those?) so they could record the movies and watch them over and over again. They had the whole collection of those old movies!
All while munching on delicious, hand-cranked popcorn from our stovetop popper. Which we still use, more than 30 years later!
That tiny 2-room rented house, with only a kitchen, bathroom, and one other room, was a real challenge. Especially because of the sleeping arrangements for our adolescent children. Our daughter Anna slept on a chair-bed in the kitchen.
In the other room, we created a tiny living room and a tiny bedroom for us by separating it with our only small wardrobe. Our son Enzo slept on the sofa that turned into a single bed. But those weren’t the biggest challenges.
Our landlady was stingy, and our neighbors were mostly unpleasant. And it was out in the country far from everything, at least in our carless state!
That was not only the smallest of our houses, but the most humid. Water even dripped down the inside walls due to the high humidity. I shed many tears as I mopped up the water and threw away shoes and handbags ruined by the dampness.
For the first few months we lived without a washing machine. It took forever to dry our hand-wrung clothes. And since it was such a rainy area, I often had to hang them indoors on my handy stendino rack. This only added to the already abundant humidity! Drips surrounded us, inside and out!
But how rich and pampered we felt when we managed to buy a washing machine, which we managed to cram into the tiny bathroom. No clothes dryer, of course. They were unheard of here in the early 90s!
I can’t deny that all those challenges made life more complicated. But in many ways, it was easier and more enjoyable.
Greater appreciation
Because we did not have much, we seemed to appreciate the things we did have all the more. Progress has brought so many things, and we race to get them all. Bigger houses, nicer furniture, flatter TVs, newer phones, and more luxurious cars. Sometimes working overtime to afford it all, leaving us with little time to really enjoy it.
The wealth of true riches
Money was certainly not abundant, but health, happiness, joy, and fellowship with the Lord were. We were rich in the real riches of life! All the things that money can’t buy. Blessed with a loving family, a happy marriage, and countless wonderful friends. And time to enjoy it all!
- No car – but more time to enjoy the flowers along the way!
- No phone of any kind – but no phone bills either!
- No clothes dryer – but the health benefits of hanging laundry out to dry in the fresh air!
- And a super tiny house – that would have been so much quicker to clean, if not for the humidity!
We had few material things. But that taught us to count our blessings instead of taking things for granted. We learned the value of simple contentment. And the sense of freedom that comes from not having to keep getting more and more stuff.
But most of all we learned to trust God in a deeper way. We found that He is not only a powerful God, but He is faithful even when we have very limited resources!
We were so blessed because we learned that little is a lot and that made us realize how truly rich we were!
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
Philippians 4:11
📷 Image credits: flowers; TV; clothes rack; shoes; others are mine
Signora Sheila 
26 responses to “The Much of Little”
This is a great post ma’am, I can relate everything with your scenarios.
May I ask the timeline for this period in your life?
It’s true that when there were not so many tech-gadgets, and moder appliances people were more social, jovial, and friendly, and leads a healthy life. But, now…
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Thank you, Sir. The time period here was the early 90’s. It’s a dilemma. All the modern gadgets and conveniences make life easier. But how much do we lose by their entrance into our lives? Finding balance can be difficult!
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very difficult,
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No phone bill! That would put some money back in my pocket! I wish they hadn’t gotten rid of all the pay phones. I enjoy simplicity. :)
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Yes, that really would save some money! It is a shame they got rid of pay phones. Yet the cell phone can be so useful. Especially when you get lost!
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Wonderful memories and insights. We share a few of those and have made popcorn on the stove, but just with a regular pot and lid. I love the hand crank version!
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Thanks Pete, I find the memories and insights people share to be such an encouragement! We used to make popcorn with just a regular pan too. But hand crank version is great. Not so tiring, and the salt and butter or oil gets distributed more evenly. And the popcorn never burns!
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Thank you so much for this!! I watched this TV series in the States as Fury! I had forgotten. Thank you for a sweet stroll down memory lane and thank you for reminding me of the preciousness of simple and that the LORD is the One who makes simple precious!
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You’re more than welcome, Kathy! That really is the secret… with God. Because he helps us focus on the true treasures… which are usually the simple things with eternal value!!
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I know that the simpler my life is, the more contentment I feel. The “much of little” is very true and I love how you wrote about that fact from your own experiences. I believe that the unhappiness we see today is partially due to the fact, too, that we’re seeing the “little of much.” How little peace it brings – peace that only God can give. Thanks for your wise words today!
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Thanks Patty. I’m grateful that the Lord allowed us to go through certain circumstances that taught us many of these important life lessons. And I hope he continues to allow them so that our eyes will remain fixed on true eternal treasures!!
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Praise and thanksgiving draw us closer to the heart of God! You have learned the secret of being content in all circumstances! Your testimony has touched my heart!
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Thanks Deborah, but I would say rather that I am learning that secret. The things of this world have such a strong pull. It is a continual battle!!
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Yes, ”learning” content is a continual battle!
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Yes, it really is!
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Loved reading this again and refreshing my outlook. I want to be like you, Sheila, and see the positive side of life! We DO have so much to enjoy, so much to be thankful for. God has indeed supplied all our needs–and then some!
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So true Nancy. We who have Christ are rich in all the things that truly count!! Mat the Lord help us to keep our eyes on those!!
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Amen, my friend!
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The much of little–brilliant wisdom and so much healthier all the way around. I love how you focus on the small things. The big, expensive, time-consuming, energy-draining things we focus on today don’t bring joy. They typically bring guilt for spending the money, exhaustion because there’s no time or energy to enjoy them, and frustration because what seemed important then is obviously unimportant now, I’m grateful for your story that shows how valuing the small and rich things of life give more joy than what we perceive to be grand and necessary.
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I’m so glad it inspired you, Dayle! Life in this world centers around stuff. All that we can see and touch. Things that are passing away. But the things we experience with others remain in our hearts and can even become eternal treasures!! Those really are what count!!
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Yes, Shelia, here’s to contentment and gratitude for life’s riches. A lovely post and I love the photos. <3
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Thanks Jane, glad you liked it! And I wish you the joy and blessings of the much of little!!
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You are so right, Sheila: The true riches of life have nothing to do with stuff. ‘Love that Chesterton quote, too. P.S. Also loved the show, Fury, when I was a girl!
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Stuff comes and goes, people remain. I love Chesterton, lots of wit and wisdom. I never saw Fury until seeing the reruns of it over here. We enjoyed it!!
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You are, indeed, a reminder of what is really valuable. I love that GK Chesterton quote–one of the greatest lies of the enemy is our sense of never having enough, of feeling the need for more stuff and things. I’m learning the truth that gratitude is a discipline. Thanks, my friend.
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Thanks Dayle. Yes, gratitude and contentment are disciplines. They are so contrary to what this world pushes that we have to constantly battle to hold on them. And I think Chesterton hits it on the head. We fall into taking so much for granted.
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