Simple describes me perfectly. Wait a minute, that didn't come out right...
I like the simple life. There, that's better. I thought we had a pretty simple, pared-down lifestyle on the plains of Kansas, but when we moved to Oklahoma, I began to notice a glut of stuff. Just stuff. Stuff that was duplicates. Stuff that I never used. Stuff I thought I wanted but I didn't need.
Time to simplify again. I began bagging up the stuff. In the end I had THREE pickup loads of big black bags. I'm talking front to back, filled-in-the-backseat, the bed packed side-to-side, to the top of the cab kind of pick up loads. It was insane. A hoarder could have had a field day with my mountain of bags.
"Maybe I should I have a garage sale", I thought. "Maybe you should throw yourself off the dock at the pond", I told myself.
Instead I hauled it all to a flea market in Garnett, Kansas. Why drive all the way to Garnett, Kansas, when there's a perfectly good thrift store, flea market, and even a dump on the way?
Because this flea market is operated by my friend Debera Mace. ALL the proceeds go to support Mission of Hope Orphanage and school in Liberia. Debera and her husband Roger, a wonderful man with whom I worked for several years, began the mission work a few short years ago, and it has grown like dandelions on the lawn.
And every time I look at the photos of the wonderful work they're doing over there, and the lifestyle of the kids they serve, I see what a simple life really looks like. It's not emission-spewing huge SUV's, or more clothes in the closet, or newer/better/bigger/different. It's food. Clothing. Shelter. And if you're really fortunate, it's an education.
I'm going to go clean out my closets again.
Happy Trails, and may finding adventure be a simple thing!
4 comments:
This was a really great post. I just moved out of my house (going through divorce) and in to a small apartment. At first, it was hard to part with stuff (when I was packing to leave), but after awhile, I just let it go. It felt so good to do that and then I hauled it to Goodwill. At the time, that was the closest place, but there are more around in the Houston area. My mother often donates to a home that helps battered women. I have not unpacked just yet, but I'm sure I have stuff I want to get rid of like pictures. We shall see.
Also, I read this other blog and this was a post on this subject...http://goodlifezen.com/2011/04/26/living-with-less-and-the-art-of-a-zen-closet/. I think it's such a great idea.
Wait wait wait wait wait wait wait
You're saying that you were an HOUR away from your favorite step daughter and you didn't visit?!
Grump grump grump
guilty as charged with much apologies. Drive to Piqua and back in one day....
Apologies accepted. That would make for a very long day!
Post a Comment