'Tis a Gift to be Simple

I used to think that "simple" meant "easy." So when people would talk about having a "simple lifestyle" and then turn the discussion to baking bread or cloth diapering I thought that they needed a dictionary. No, simple is going to Target and buying bread and diapers. Then one winter night my husband was watching a show about an Alaskan family who was working endlessly to provide food and shelter for their family and livestock. As my husband and I began to discuss this family he commented on how part of him envied their simple life.

There was that "simple" word again, but I had no problem with the way that my husband used it. It changed the way that I thought of simple. My mind wondered from the Alaskan family to Amish families. The Amish work incredibly hard, and it would seem never choose the easy way. Yet I think of their way of life as being simple, uncluttered. They focus on a few core values and priorities. They let go of everything that does not positively contribute to them. I think of their simplicity as being slow, steady and focused. The result is a reputation for quality and strong relationships.

Simple is not a short cut from work, sometimes it causes more work. Simplicity focuses on the goal and the end result. I think the clothesline is a great symbol of simplicity. My clothesline slows me down. I am limited on the amount of loads I can do in a day. I am forced to wait. As I take the clothes off the line I fold them and complete the chore. For some reason when I use the drier I pile the load into a basket to deal with later. The machine is so easy that I just keep washing, drying and making piles. The piles accumulate and start heading out the laundry room down the hall. Suddenly my shortcut has made the job messy. I love my clothesline, because even though it takes a little more time to put them on the line than in the dryer, it is simple.

Wikipedia further defines it this way: "Simple living may be characterized by individuals being satisfied with what they need rather than want." I would love to be described that way. The truth is our stuff ends up owning us. Our schedules end up dictating our values. Life easily gets out of balance and complicated. The title of my blog has almost served as a challenge to me. Am I investing in the things most important to me? Has quality in my life been compromised because of my rush? Is my home simply made?

No, simple does not always mean easy. The steps that it takes to simplify can be hard, and short cuts at every turn seem so inviting. I have not yet accomplished a simple life. I am determined not to give up, downsizing our stuff, clearing out our schedule, working hard and living simply.

This post is linked up at :

Hearth and Soul @ http://www.pennilessparenting.com/

Works for Me Wednesday @ http://wearethatfamily.com

Frugal Days Sustainable Ways @ http://frugallysustainable.com/