Living Simply

I think I would be perfectly content living without a lot of stuff. I know I don't have as much stuff as some people, but I still think I have too much. I'm still very involved with, and preoccupied by, technology and getting as much done in one day as I possibly can. But I know I'd be okay without those things. When I went to New Orleans last spring, I had to live with the bare minimum: shelter, a place to sleep, food, water. Yes, there was running water and electricity for lights, yet the daily routine was so restful and laid back. We did have a lot packed into each day, sometimes getting little sleep, but there wasn't the stress of rapidly going from one thing to the next. I was able to rest AND be productive.

We stayed at an old gymnasium that was connected to a small church. They had to hold church services in the gym part though because the flooding had caused so much damage to the sanctuary. As ruined and dirty as the entire place seemed, though, it soon became a comfortable, familiar, and hospitable place during my week-long stay. I slept on a cot at night. I loved it! In the early morning, some of us would meet for prayer in the sanctuary, with almost no light and no no chairs. Then breakfast would be whatever they were serving. And it didn't matter to me because I was just grateful to have food. After breakfast, we'd make our sandwiches and bag them for later. Then we'd go to the work sites. I learned how to do sheetrock and did that for a week staight at the same house. Again, I loved it! We'd break only for lunch. Then the bus would pick us up and bring us back to the church, where we'd hang out and take showers until an early dinner. Again, I'd eat whatever was served. There weren't a hundred meal options to choose from. It was nice not having to think about it. After dinner, I'd hang out until the evening Bible study. Then I'd either stay and chat or go go to bed. Such a wonderful routine! Start the day with God, serve with God, end the day with God... and no internet access, no meetings to attend, and no stressing out over work. To live that simply was my earthly Utopia. When I got back to campus, I was disgusted with how much stuff I had, and how dependent I was on the computer.

The thing that sparked this thought happened tonight when I returned to my room after a long day. I had packed my computer for class earlier, and so when I got back, I didn't take it back out right away. I just made myself a cornbeef sandwich for dinner, sat at the empty desk, and ate. I didn't do anything else. I simply sat and ate. No internet, no phone, no homework, just dinner. It was relaxing. But of course, I felt the need to blog about this wonderfully simple experience. See? My dependence on technology. Yuck. And I check my email like ten times a day. And it's late now, yet I had wanted to go to bed early.

I want to live simply... and with less stuff.

Good night.