“Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.”
~Charles Dudley Warner
But when is it baggage enough?
We did not take the umbrella or the chairs or the cooler. We saw many who traveled the path bearing those things and more. Some even pushing and yanking strollers through the soft sand.
Heavy laden.
Overburdened.
We settled for a quilt, three towels (for two of us), and a beach bag full of “essentials”–sunscreen, books, notebook, pens, camera, sunglasses, and car keys for the return journey.
And we took frequent rest breaks on the three-quarter mile trail to the beach.
We spread out the quilt–just so. Placed our shoes (Keens–but they’ve lasted for several years) on all four corners and removed the clothes we wore over our suits. I hid my cell phone (no service available) in the bag.
A family frolicked down the beach. They brought–towels. Period. And draped them on a branch.
Of course, I snapped a picture. I can’t get it out of my mind.
They traveled light.
Simple.
Max Lucado (Outlive Your Life) writes about Dadhi who lives in a tiny dirt-floored mud hut in Ethiopia. They (seven family members) roll up their straw mats in the morning and store them against the side walls.
Boom.
Beds made.
I don’t think I want to sleep on a mat in dirt.
But there’s freedom in that.
Isn’t there?
This morning I climbed down from my queen-sized mattress (Tempur-Pedic), pulled up and smoothed the 800-count white cotton sheets, and tucked the bottom of the quilt neatly at the footboard. I stacked the pillows and shams at the headboard.
Simple?
Maybe.
Later this week, I’ll wash those sheets in hot water and soap in my washing machine–that will soon “need” to be replaced.
I’m down to four sets of dishes. Four sets!
Everyday white china–setting for 12.
A set of colorful chicken-decorated dishes (and set of glasses), bought as much for looks as use. And seldom used. Except for the mugs. I display them on open shelves.
I also have Dennis’ mother’s set of china (including soup tureen) and his grandmother’s set.
Oh, and my wedding dishes–red clay from France–are tucked away in a box.
So make that five sets, minus a few missing and chipped pieces.
Not so simple. They all need to be washed or dusted or stored.
I wonder if Dadhi has even a metal bowl for each person.
We own five television sets. And a couple we don’t use. They all need maintenance and care.
And don’t ask me about books. Or even Bible translations. Maybe I actually do “need” an eReader.
I’m imprisoned by stuff.
Even though I’ve cut the chains to so much in the last year and a half.
I’m still burdened.
Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually.
I long for simplicity.
I want to travel light.
When is it baggage enough?
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me–watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:27-29 (Message)
Linking to Emily’s Imperfect Prose on Thursdays.
I remember chatting with my Argentine friends once in a barrio, marveling at how they were were unfettered by so much “stuff” and seemed to have a single focus far better than we did. They laughed and said, “There’s nothing special to it. We just don’t have it to be distracted by.” And there was such a contentment to that for them.
They were not on a continual quest for more, because there wasn’t more. Nor were they on a continual quest to reduce. They had what they needed and that was it, making it a non-issue to them.
Sometimes I think the mat on a dirt floor would be the way to go.
(And the MSG translation of that passage is one of my all-time favorites. There’s a month’s worth of meditating right there.)
Yes, it seems like fewer distractions would bring a better focus.
i fight this all the time…we just got our first tv in 5 years…hoping i dont lament that…simplicity is often not so simple and takes effort.
So true.
God promises to meet all our needs, but our idea of “need” and his are often worlds apart. I think sometimes our concept of simplicity and his may differ, too. We yearn to be free of mental clutter but stripping our lifestyle down to bare essentials, while clearing away physical distractions, doesn’t necessarily give us the peace of mind we seek. We’re on the right track though… “seek and ye shall find.”
Yes, needs and wants get all mixed up sometimes. And I think you’re right. We need to strip in a lot of areas besides just physical. I do find for me, the less physical clutter I have, the less mental clutter I have. And then the spiritual comes into better focus. I think someone said simplicity was simply Jesus.
I just read three of your posts from my RSS feed. Interestingly, the Cornucopia post on fullness was sandwiched between two posts extolling lightness. Most interesting to me is that I both put high value and struggle with all three. Among my favorite Bible passages (I have about a thousand of ’em) is this:
Give me neither poverty nor riches
Feed me with the food allotted to me;
Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the LORD?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.
Proverbs 30:8-9
(PS ~ I just love the cornucopia, and all it symbolizes. I have one in my kitchen / dining area that stays there year-round.)
I’ve been making sandwiches? Amazing. That is cool that you caught that. I love that scripture, too. And leaving a cornucopia out year around–great idea.
😀
Now that we’ve had the sandwich, how about a cup of java, maybe something for kids? Near your place? I’m buying.
I am IN! We can fight over the bill. 🙂
Now don’t be tempting me to muss my hair on the way to ACFW. I still remember police holds …
Here’s what I learned. Make a habit of giving your stuff to someone who needs it. One thing at the time, on a regular basis. Sometimes I miss what I gave away, but mostly, I don’t.
That is a great discipline, Cassandra! I’ve given away bags and boxes of stuff over several months. Sometimes I miss it and then remember it’s gone, but mostly, I feel lighter. I still have more to unload.
Oh, indeed we have enough. more than enough.. my trip to Nicaragua settled that question in my soul 2 years ago.
Love this post – your writing is just beautiful!
Thank you, Beth. My daughter’s health issues kept us from Nicaragua a couple years ago. There will be another time (there or somewhere), and I know I’d never be the same. Thanks for stopping by.
Oh how God is at work in your heart!
He will show you how to lighten your load in the ways He desires.
😀
The MSG translation is enlightening … “Learn the unforced rhythms of grace” … sometimes even grace gets to be a “project.”
Oh, Susan. Interesting thought. We can make grace a project.
Love what you noticed and took a picture of…..and your processing it all.
Thanks. 🙂
this is a beautiful post — very thoughtful and thought-provoking and… light.
Nice.
Light . . . love it.
oh sandra, i loved this post. i really would like to have coffee with you… our hearts are in the same place. my husband and i have been trying to live simply since living in korea for a year… there is so much we don’t need. thank you, for this beautiful challenge… to strip free, and live spiritually naked. so to speak. 🙂 love to you, friend. thanks for linking. xo
Coffee with you would be wonderful, Emily! Loving you back.
this stream of consciousness…being made aware of needs and wants…the line gets blurred sometimes, somehow. I am surrounded by stuff and getting rid of it takes time and effort…I’m getting there. i am comforted by the fact that He takes it all…thank you for this!
One step at a time. When I started I just walked around and took something here, something there. Boxed it. Every time I do it, I find something else that can go. It does get blurry sometimes.
Thanks for setting me straight. I did a major-league declutter on my house last year. I trimmed down to what I felt was minimal stuff and I was pleased.
One year later – I’m seeing tons of stuff around my home again. I’ve tried to tell myself that I took care of the excess last year but stuff keeps appearing to haunt me. Stuff exhausts me. It must be time to simplify again.
I think it multiplies itself sometimes. It *is* exhausting.
Hi, I found your post via Imperfect Prose, and it definitely hit a note. This past year has been a year of loss for me – 3 robberies and 4 moves! I just last week was reunited with some things that had been left behind 3 moves ago, and many of my favourite things are missing; I’ll never see them again.
It’s painful, but I thank God for the experience. That I’ve lived the past 8 months without an external mouse for my computer and so I know I’ll survive 8 more, that I don’t really need those yoga pants, that I had enough money in the bank to replace 2 ipods in 2 months. I don’t wish the turmoil of my last year on anyone, but I think it has taken that much shock to START teaching me how to live simply. I’m sure you’re a much better learner than me!
Oh my goodness, Kati, you’ve been through some major trauma! That’s a lot of stress. I love that you can see the positive, and I hope that you will have smooth sailing for awhile now.