A Simple Life

Since January (and before that, to some extent), I've been thinking about the simple life. And not the one with Paris and Nicole. No, just the idea that simplicity has a lot to offer. At the Winter Retreat I went on with my Navigators, we spoke about this a little bit. The basic concept, as I see it, is having/buying what you need, and getting rid of clutter and complication in your life. I know it's true: I do not have a simple life. I have so much stuff that I don't need, and half the time don't even realize what I have. I have a perfectly good closet that I could put clothes in, but instead the room is taken up by about 4 plastic totes that are stacked in it. Sure, some of that stuff I need, but not necessarily right in my room, and probably not too often. It's unnecessary and ridiculous . . . but it's a habit. I think it's a habit that many people have. But it's not just material things . . . it's also aspects of my life. Do I need 4 e-mail addresses? No. Do I even get around to checking them all? Nope. The other thing that prevents my life from being as simple as I'd like it to be is busy-ness. Of course, some of that is unavoidable; I have to get to work on time, and hurry to my classes, run to meet my carpool. But honestly, there must be something in my power to stop me from running around like a headless chicken. Considering simplicity is helping me to realize the things that are important in my life. E-mailing my friends, talking to my family, getting my reading done . . . even taking an hour or two to relax and check out Veronica Mars or Grey's Anatomy. These things matter to me. I need to have time to do the things I want with my life. People are important. Life is important. And anything that can be done to make life a little easier should be sought after with reckless abandon. Which is why I am, inch by inch, trying to make my life a little bit simpler. My school e-mail now forwards to another e-mail account. If something can be put off for awhile without too much trouble, it will be. I'm going through old clothes and plan on giving what I don't need to charity (although not as quickly as I'd like to). I'm trying to buy only what I need. Not much progess has been made as of yet . . . but I'm working on it. And that's as good a start as any.