Do you ever wonder why some people are thinking that the world will soon be over populated and it will be a bad thing.

I think about it often and even more so lately. The other day someone, I think it was Bill Gates but I could be wrong, was talking about the current world population of 80 billion or so and how it’s imperative we get that down below that threshold if we want our world to survive.

I’m perplexed hearing people talk like this.

It doesn’t sound like we live in the same world. (Bill Gates and I)

The only reason I can see for someone thinking that way is if their only experience is big city living. Very big city living. If that’s the case they have a very narrow way of looking at things.

It’s true that cities in Asia and other similar parts of the world are greatly congested. It’s a challenge, driving erratically, bumper to bumper, taking your life in your hands every time you venture out.

Walking is not much better as everyone scurries about, shoulder to shoulder, narrowly missing collisions.

We hear stories of culture shock, experiencing Canada for the first time. Wide open lonely spaces everywhere. They miss the jostling crowds.

Yes, there are moments of great congestion and traffic jams here in our handful of big cities but that’s all they are, moments, not a way of life.

In Canada there are thousands of miles of lonely roads. Small towns (never mind big cities) are few and far between.

This big city (in the US is my guess) is not crazy.

Travelling the lonely miles across Canada, gazing across acres and acres of uninhabited land it is impossible to fathom ever being over populated. With an abundance of flat empty land that could be turned into farm land it’s unfathomable to think there would ever be a day we couldn’t feed ourselves and other parts of the world too.

And Canada is not the only country with vast uninhabited areas. It’s a surprise to note that the USA has vast poorly populated areas too.

When we look closely we find that every single continent is the same. Vast underpopulated areas.

Even with the uninhabitable mountainous areas taken into account, there are still huge areas that could sustain thousand if not millions of new residents.

I think these people with wild ideas need to get out and experience the myriad of wide open spaces across the world and then try to tell us our world is in danger of being overpopulated. Not going to happen anytime soon, if they are honest.

First, I have to say it’s a bookless day, So sorry about that. And, I probably should have called this a This and That day because it may turn into that, you just never know.

It all started with a knock on the door. For the second day in a row.

Unexpected knocks on the door usually end up with people selling something or other that I don’t want or need and knowing that, I don’t care to answer. Maybe the reluctance is not liking to say no, even though I want to.

That’s what happened on the first day. I’ve never had someone be as persistent as this lady. She obviously knew I was here because she looked in the side window and could see me sitting at the table, typing away. After the fourth knock I went to the door and opened it a crack. She asked me a question. It was not a conversation I wanted to have so I slowly closed and locked the door walking away. I couldn’t believe did it. I still can’t. But I’m glad I did. It was better for both of us, at least from my perspective.

The next day there was a knock again. This is an unusual experience at my house y’all. And when it does happen I try to peek to see if it’s someone I know. I rarely answer the door so to do it two days in a row is unheard of.

This time there was man standing at a respectful distance from the door. He was holding something in his hand that looked suspiciously like election handouts. Sure enough they were. This confident professional man was running for school board and wanted to know if he could leave a brochure.

It’s kind of hard to say how the conversation veered from school board into a broader political conversation but it did. I’m not even sure how I had the audacity half way through to ask him what his political affiliation was, but I did. I couldn’t believe I did it and I don’t think he could either. To his credit he did answer carefully. Maybe he was trying to avoid being trapped in a negative situation.

It was good, we covered a wide range of subjects relating to politics in Canada and other places. I’m sure we don’t see eye to eye on everything but it was a positive experience. Several times before he left he commented on enjoying the experience. I did too. It isn’t often I get to have a conversation with someone that invested in the topic.

The coolest thing of all though, as I thought about it later, was that I got to say, spontaneously, things I’ve wanted to say to a politician for a very long time. I realize he is at the school board level but our city isn’t that big and I’m sure he has opportunities to meet up with our federal member of parliament now and then. He may even remember some of our conversation and things I was hoping he would pass on. Like be brave and stand up to people with crazy ideas. Say no when no needs to be said.

This was one time I was glad I answered the door.

I am learning to say no more often too. This usually generates even more I can’t believe I just said that moments. Love it.