Simple Joys

I am an advocate of simple living, which to me is simply living apart from as many of the avoidable stresses as possible. To walk away from the self inflicted stresses we seem to think is just part of the American Dream. If you have to worry about how to pay for something that is not life saving, you probably can do without it. Precious memories can be found in a small house, easily paid for and clothes will cover you and keep you warm even if they are second hand.

So many of us find great joy in reading Little House on the Prairie books, hearing about the way they found joy and togetherness without all the trappings. And although we read these books with pleasure, many miss the deeper meaning to them...its not just about how things were done in the olden days, its about discovering that family, love, working together, finding inner strength to carry you through the difficult times, those are the things that make memories that delight us.

In 1978 there was a huge blizzard in New England. Cars were buried, fence lines disappeared. People were stranded for days. My father worked 72 hours straight, no break for policemen in times like that. But what everyone remembers of that terrible blizzard is the way people helped one another. The entire neighborhood worked to shovel one another out. After the snow stopped, with sled in tow, we stopped by the houses of neighbors on our walk to the one store that opened to see if they needed anything . The hardships of the extreme weather prompted a kindness and sense of community that was not present in ordinary life. Our memories of that storm are pleasant in many ways. For what good came from it, from the kindness of others, the working together of families, and the profound joy of being safe in a storm.

We read books like, The Long Winter and see that very same attitude. We long for that sort of goodness, yet we have trouble letting go of the things we are sure measure the value of our life, yet eats us alive with worry, working so hard that we can't have good relationships and we keep being bombarded with bigger and better things to want. Contentment is elusive. Wants grow faster than we can afford. And all the while, we are chasing after the next car, the bigger house, the better dishes, the better furniture, a neighbor struggles to put food on the table, millions of babies die of starvation a year. Men and women drop dead from stress related illnesses and family members just follow suit, never catching on that a quality life doesn't depend on the amount of credit cards you own and that own you.

Look around your life, count the smiles on your children's faces, young and old. Will your children not love you if you don't get them that expensive gift on their Christmas wish list ?
Of course they will continue to love you regardless. In study after study, when children are asked what one thing they would like, its not things or stuff they want, but they tell those asking the questions, that they want more of their parents time. Something money cannot buy ! It is the very same thing we love reading about in the Little House books, time spent together as a family, it never matters to the children if the house is big or fancy. Its just about simply being a loving family sharing life.