Why Simplify?

As I let my mind wander through the loads of tasks yet to be done to prepare for our move (next Saturday!!), my eyes rest on the book that came in the mail while I was away on business: Simplicity Parenting.  Isn't that what we're about to do?  We're simplifying our lives, creating a haven for our kids (and ourselves) so that we can slow down and take a breath.  Maybe, I thought, there's something in there that I need to read right now- something that will inspire me to go find the packing tape.  So I opened the book.  No time for the introduction (after all, I AM in the middle of moving...) so I skipped to Chapter 1 and read the quote at the top of the page.

"We are facing an enormous problem in our lives today.  It's so big we can hardly see it, and it's right in front of our face all day, every day.  We're all living too big lives, crammed from top to toe with activities, urgencies, and obligations that seem absolute.  There's no time to take a breath, no time to look for the source of the problem."  -Sarah Susanka, The Not So Big Life

While I was away on my four day business trip to North Carolina, not a single box was packed.  And I expected that to be the case.  My boys were busy and away from home most of the time I was gone.  They were mostly busy with after school meetings for Ryan's job that took much of their late afternoon and evening.  I don't think they ate one meal at home the whole time I was gone and it isn't because Ryan doesn't cook!  (He's actually taught me a thing or two in the kitchen...) They were literally in survival mode, just trying to get lunches put away at the end of the day, and finding a little time to play and unwind before falling into bed (late) only to repeat again the next day.  In reality, that was all they could really manage.  Leaving at 7am and then not returning home until 7, 8, or 9pm each night leaves no time for packing.  Or much else, for that matter.  I'd love to say that this schedule was because I was out of town and that this week was different, but this is how it has been for quite some time.

Our lives have been crammed from "top to toe," as Sarah Susanka so aptly wrote, and it is high time that we un-cram them!  Why simplify?  Why not, I say?!  We need time to take a breath.  Maybe having the salty ocean breeze playing on our front porch will be just the balm that our family needs as we slow down our lives and regain our footing.

Beginning the Journey to a Simpler Life

We’ve been on the treadmill as a family for the past several years.  You know, work harder to try to get ahead to the point that we can’t remember why we were doing what we’re doing.  Our days were full to the breaking point with no end in sight.  When we had a holiday, we couldn’t do anything for several days just to catch our breath.

Where was the joy?

It wasn’t that there was a lack of joy.  In fact, there were some very bright spots, including finding an incredible community of people.  I guess that’s part of the reason that things got so out of hand.  We found ourselves driving to be near our community- for the kids to attend school, for me to work with clients, and eventually for my husband’s job.  I’m not opposed to the car, by any means, but the drive was 35 miles each way every day.  Some days in the spring, it took us nearly 90 minutes just to get to school in the morning and that’s leaving at 7am!  And that starts to wear on even the most determined among us after a while.  

Giving up what we had worked so hard to create wasn’t easy.  In fact, there were times it was downright painful.  Letting go of something that you really wanted feels really hard- until you can see where you’re going and how life will be so much better in so many ways.

This is the story of our journey to discovering a simpler life.  We’re going from a place where we need to get in the car to go anywhere- a relatively secluded neighborhood on a vast nature preserve- to a quaint beach town where we can ride a bike to nearly everything we need.  This is going to turn our family life completely upside down and it is exactly what we need.   

Here’s to A Simpler Life!