the georgians

THE GEORGIANS

A special story of Peace and Harmony

by izzy ess of happiness

Some time ago, PBS showed a documentary on the Georgians, the folks who live just north of the Russians.  It showed that Georgians live to about 120.  There was no heart disease, strokes, cancer or high blood pressure.  The most dangerous threat to a Georgian was a Russian, apparently.  The programme documented a large family of kith and kin who lived in a large house on a large farm.  Each of them awoke with the sun and started a long day of work, play and happiness.  Each had hard work to do.  Most adults worked in the fields, ploughing, planting, gathering and harvesting fruits, vegetables and cereals.  Huge breakfasts of fresh eggs, bacon, and fruit was usual.  Work stopped at about noon when all would gather, indoors or outdoors, for the huge mid-day meal of pork, chicken, beef or whatever was available, fruits and vegetables, soups and stews, fat right off the pig, Vodka in large amounts, juices and fresh water, bread and potatoes, butter and lard.  Singing and the telling of stories, laughter and frivolity was prevalent.  Everyone smoked.  The grandchildren cared for the grandmothers and grandfathers, who told the legends of their people.  The meal ended when everyone, happy and sweaty, full of food and stories, fell asleep for one or two hours.  Then the work in the fields was restarted, while others cleaned up and prepared sausages and cheese, bread and butter, more vodka and water for the evening snack.  At sundown, the work in the fields stopped and everyone gathered for the evening for snacking, smoking and drinking and listening to the elders tell their stories.  Then everyone slept peacefully until dawn when their days began again.  Self-sufficiency was obvious.  Young folks caring for and heeding the old folks was strongly evident.  Hard work and fun was family oriented and all together in one big house and one big farm.

Isn't this the life that was envisioned by the Hebrew Bible?  Everyone lives to 120, healthy, happy and fulfilled, full of optimism for the family and happiness all around.  Singing and dancing together is important.  Non-abuse of the children and elderly is important.  Respect for all that pitch in and survive is evident.  Peace and Love and Harmony is obvious.  There are no iPods unless something has drastically changed since the programme was presented.  There were no telephones or cars, as far as I could tell.  Natural food sources were abundant.  Eating the fat right off the pig flies in the face of their lack of heart disease and stroke and the American College of Cardiology and similar bodies of people who have a lot to say about what we eat.  Ironically, the programme was sponsored by Dannon Yoghurt.  I suppose they were looking for support of their silly marketing idea that the Georgians owe their longevities to yogurt.  When the truth was shown, Dannon bravely showed it anyway.  Bravo!

THE END

(c) izzy sommers, md., retired, welland, canada, july 6, 2013