Vanlife Anyone?

I was reading a post on FB about a lady in our community living in her car.  Obviously a lot of people are feeling sorry for her, but apparently she does not want to be helped.  According to some she is quite happy where she but occasionally gets rude when someone comes and offer help.  Some say she has a mental health problem, but some knowing her claims that is not true.  I wish I could just sit down with her and have an interview with her. Not invading her privacy or make her feel that I might be from some charity organization trying to get her off the street, I just want to know what makes her want to live like that. Deep down in myself, and I am sure many others, we also want to live a simple life.  But is it a simple life or circumstances that drove her to that?

There are so many web stories about people living in vehicles.  Usually it is nicely kitted out vans where people travel around and live a simple life.  Some work from their vans and every time they post something on their blogs or IG everyone seems to admire their lives and feel a bit jealous.  I guess there are so may sides to these stories because some people also write about the downside of "vanlife".  Some people live like this because they want to, others are forced through difficult circumstances to adopt a live like this. But are the ones like this lady truly happy and if she is, why can't people just accept the fact that some people do like to live a simple live.  

Since I started my "new life" 3 years ago, simplicity was what I was after.  My circumstances however did not allow me to live a "vanlife".  I have a family and other responsibilities that I cannot just leave behind to make my life simple and carefree.  Besides, it is very easy to sit with a full stomach and sweet smelling clothes saying "Man, I wish I could live like that". The fact is, if you really wanted to live like that you would not have a full stomach and clean clothes, you would be out there living a van life already.  I think we all want to free ourselves from everyday's burdens once in a while. The thought of living a van life seems rather idyllic to say the least, but I am sure there are ups and downs for every type of living.  I guess your level of "simplicity" is determined by the type of person you are.  Some people are fine with dirty clothes, little income and no need for luxuries.  Some people won't be able to live without running water and a flushing toilet.  Some people won't last 3 weeks living in a van, some might live like that forever.

I admire people who are really living the way they want to and is happy about their way of living.  Whether they live in a fancy house, traveling in a van, living in a hut off the grid in a remote forests or even in a car.  If they are happy with their situation then I have so much respect for them, even more if it is someone living in a car and not needing any help from Good Samaritans. Maybe this lady is the opposite of a mental health case, maybe we could learn from her. Maybe we are the mental cases. Maybe she has given up on consumerism, fake news, corrupt politics, aggressive advertising, taxes and levies. Maybe she gets out of her car every morning, looks at Table Mountain and say "Wow, what a privilege to be alive and live like this"?  When last did you wake up in your current situation and said that?