Is ignorance bliss or denial?

I rarely watch Oprah, but today her show was actually quite eye opening.  It focused on the oppression of women and girls around the world, specifically in Cambodia and Africa.  Being an emotional person, I found my face covered by a waterfall of tears as I learned about individual struggles and losses.  Starvation, prostitution, and lack of medical supplies/services blanket so many countries.  So often, upon hearing this news, I turn the other cheek pretty quickly.  Overwhelming grief, sadness, and despair flood my being.  What can I do?  Little me, in a great big broken world?

Well, something clicked today in me.  I can write.  I can talk.  I can shine a light in the darkness.  And, so can you.

Heading into a meaningful season, full of wonder, grace, peace, and love — I feel convicted to fall on my knees in thanksgiving.  We have so much here in the United States.  Our country is overflowing with abundance and opportunity.  Yes, there is hardship.  Yes, there is pain, poverty, and injustice.  Here, there, and everywhere, people are hurting.  Voices are silenced, as shame, control, and oppression contend to take their place.  It’s just simply not okay!

Feed ONE.

So really, what can we do?  We can start small.  I find that an overwhelming anxiety soon follows an emotional outpouring, which often leads to inaction.  Yet, by starting small, we can and will make a difference.  Like the butterfly effect, where everything is interconnected, change happens from little acts.  Simple acts. We have no idea how these actions from the heart change the world.  We can leave those details up to God.

For Christmas, I am once again challenging our consumer culture.  Gifts are not wrong or bad, but refusing to open ourselves up to the  larger picture is.  Allowing ourselves to become distracted by the hustle and bustle of the season decreases our heart’s capacity.  How might your gift giving change by focusing on the realities of this world?  Feeding one child, supporting a small business, or sponsoring a child are some ways to start small.  Maybe helping out locally, giving your time to those without a warm place to rest their head is a place to start.  Time is a valuable way to give, and often creates lasting change for all involved.  How might you start a new family tradition this Christmas by cultivating awareness?  Living simply makes room to see the truth.  And from truth, comes real living and awareness.

The Girl Effect is a movement started to create awareness.  Young girls and women around the world are not treated equally and fall victim to horrendous acts.  We, you and me, those living in a safe space, can be their voice.  After all, knowledge is power and starting small, is where is begins.

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”

~Mother Teresa

We can make a difference.  Will you?

]]> http://findingsimplicity.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/ignorance-is-bliss/feed/ 2 Laura FEED Project http://findingsimplicity.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/more-life/ http://findingsimplicity.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/more-life/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:58:51 +0000 Laura http://findingsimplicity.wordpress.com/?p=321 ]]>

“More Stuff.  More Space.  Less Life.” How true is this quote?  As we move into the holiday season, I am once again contemplating the meaning of all the stuff around our lives.

I met a lady yesterday, who was inquiring about a membership to the YMCA.  Her kids had asked her to come up with some “clutter free” gift ideas.  As a family, they had decided that more stuff was utterly unnecessary.

After our conversation, I was left pondering the values in our consumptive culture.  How do our things serve us?  How do they detract or add to our livelihood?  What do they do to our relationships?  How does stuff find its way into our precious homes?

When people visit, I often hear comments such as “Your place is so neat.  How do you do it?”  I often equate it to my hyper-perfectionist personality and the fact that we don’t have little people running around yet.  However, I also now see a deeper root cause.  Jeremy and I don’t live with a lot of stuff.  Consciously or unconsciously, we have been very intentional about what we bring into our home.  Throughout our marriage, we have continued to purge and let go of the things that no longer add value to our lives.  Through this process, we’ve found both healing and freedom.  The things in our home mean something and often shine on special memories.  They reflect who we are and what we believe in.  They support and nourish our souls, as we retreat from a harried, hectic day.  The stuff in our lives is separate from us.  At any time, moths or thieves, floods or fires, could take it all away.  Upon this reflection, we are centered in knowing that our eyes need to be fixed on something greater.  Something more real.  Something more lasting.

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”

~William Morris

So, when we go to the stores today, we walk around, immersed in the glamour and sparkling of advertisements.  Our eyes grow wide and our mouths well with thirst over all the yummy, delicious stuff within reach of our fingertips.  We dream about bigger, better, and more.  For a tiny moment, we get lost in the world of illusion; thinking all our problems will be solved if we stuffed our home with all that neat, shiny stuff.

Sale items are my poisonous apple.  While I often don’t need it, I can find every reason and excuse to bring it home.  I mean, it’s a great deal!  It was meant for me to find it!  Shoes and purses are definitely my weakness.  But, bygone, I’ll make room in my closet because it’s worth it!

New Table. Old, Spooky Decoration.

During a recent trip to Target, I came across an aisle full of clearance furniture.  Modern, sleek, new; just calling my name.  I quickly snatched up one of the tables, feeling a tiny twisting in my stomach.  Did I need it?  Heck no, but I proceeded to walk around with it in the cart.  Tiny voices, from both shoulders began speaking.  After bouncing between need and want, I headed toward the checkout line…..with the table.  I had talked myself into deciding it was worth it.  Plus, it really was something I had my eye on for a while, but knew it would only find its way into our home if it drastically came down in price.

When I got home and put the tiny table in the place my mind had picked out, I began to contemplate the price of many things filling the average home today.  This little table cost me two hours of work.  Yet, I began to think beyond that.  Time cleaning, moving (near and far), and decorating also needed consideration.  Over the course of a lifetime, this tiny table may end up taking more of my life than I originally understood.  Not to mention the real estate (space) it now required in our overall square footage.

While this illustration may seem small and worthless, I do have to wonder how this illuminates a greater story.  If our eye is fixed on this stuff, if it only adds to our meaning of success, then what have we lost?  How have we volunteered our time to this stuff, while replacing our capacity for authentic love and real relationship?  In what ways might our stuff neglect or cover feelings/situations that need to be indebted to time?

“We don’t need to increase our goods nearly as much as we need to scale down our wants.  Not wanting something is as good as possessing it.”

~Donald Horban

How will you keep space to love those around you?  What will your buying criteria, in response to more life, be this holiday season?

I love flying.  Something happens when I step into an airplane.  My heart beats faster and my palms grow clammy as I anticipate the journey and destination.  Buckling myself in tightly, I sit back in wonder over the invention of flight.  It’s fascinating and truly amazing that we can move around the world so quickly and for the most part, comfortably.

Gorgeous!

As the roar of the engine builds up and the intensity of speed increases, I relax.  The window seat is my favorite.  As we climb higher, lifting above the pearly, white clouds, my spirit is welcomed.  Souring high and fast at 35,000 feet, I gain perspective as I am forced to slow down.  All my worries, fears, and anxieties slip away with the jet stream.   On a clear day, I see the tiny world below.  Cities turn into anthills, while the magnificent tapestry of the layered landscape jumps into focus.  From this view, my problems grow small.  Again, I am reminded of my size in this world.  I am but a tiny star in the galaxies of creation.

“You haven’t seen a tree until you’ve seen its shadow from the sky.”

~ Amelia Earhart

I sense that I’m not the only one that enjoys flying.  People around me, from all walks of life, seem to let their shoulders down when they rise above the ground.  As we are forced to unplug from everydayness, many envelop this space as a gift.  Some catch up on much needed sleep, while others dive into the passionate world of words.  Reading and writing (real writing) takes place.  Dreams and ideas take flight.  For a tiny while, we experience what it’s like to just “be.”

“The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious.  And why shouldn’t it be?  – it is the same the angels breathe.

~Mark Twain, “Roughing It”

Last week I flew to Tennessee.  Along the way, I met a beautiful and eclectic group of strangers; each with a story and each with a different destination.  Yet, for a few hours, we shared life together; through conversation and through quiet time.  Through smiles and tears, we shared a child’s first experience of flight.  We witnessed a mother caring for her newborn, who undoubtedly rested in a deep seeded peace, knowing all would be well.

Playing in the Clouds

On my return flight, I met a man.  For a short while, we shared deep, wonder-filled conversation.  We cut through the small talk and wrestled with the real, authentic, “unknowing” parts of life.  We talked about God, the Bible, family, chemo therapy, building prisons (his occupation), and making eye contact with some of the worst of the worst in modern humanity.  The conversation was real.  Challenging, yet fulfilling.  The strange part about strangers is that they’re not so strange after all.  Yet, our modern times have hurried our pace, leaving us little room to interact with those in front of us, all the time, every day.  Our conversation that day was a blessing to my life.  Our words will remain with me for some time.

Flying reminds me that I don’t have all things figured out, and that that’s perfectly alright.  It teaches me to rise above, to see everything from a new view, in order to gain perspective and clarity.  It inspires me to keep going, to keep looking, and to keep curious.  It asks me to just live, and to live well.

“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”

~ Leonardo Da Vinci

I love flying.  How about you?

Have you ever seen beauty that left you speechless?  Jeremy and I recently visited a field full of dahlia flowers in Canby, Oregon.  Gazing across the seemingly endless rows, your eyes begin to blur into the melody of color.  The scene resembles an elaborate painting, filled with rich brush strokes and precise detail.  The artist obviously has a deep, impassioned longing to be discovered and known.

Personally, nature plays a central theme in my journey towards simplicity.  To be still and study the curves of a petal, noticing the vibrant, sparkling shimmer as it catches a kiss from the sun.  To watch bees dance busily and happily around its fragrance, stopping for a sweet afternoon snack.  Each flower, separate and unequivocally unique, yet part of the whole.

I think simplicity, like a flower, invites us to be more thoughtful in the words we choose to use.  Adopting a simplicity of speech is valuable, as we recognize that fewer words can often have greater impact.  To talk less and listen more is an art worth practicing.  As for our day in the fields, no more words can describe or justify all that our eyes took in.  Maybe pictures will help some.

In the Beginning.

A Busy Bee

Standing Tall

“Flowers have spoken to me more than I can tell in written words.  They are the hieroglyphics of angels, loved by all men for the beauty of their character, though few can decipher even fragments of their meaning.”

~Lydia M. Child

Take time to notice something beautiful today.  What do you see?  How does it leave you without words?

Frugality + Community. These words have been on my mind lately.  What do they mean?  How have they evolved over the years?  What will they look like in the future?

Out with the old, in with the "New"

On Friday, I had the opportunity to participate in a clothes exchange party.  It was out with the old and in the with “new” — a perfect, free way to spice up any mundane wardrobe.  I walked away feeling as if I just won the lottery!  And, my guess is that all ladies involved found “new” gems of their own.  Plus, an evening spent in the company of amazing women.  It was the perfect combination!

Community exchange.  Something so simple, yet not practiced enough.  Our consumptive, throw away culture seems immune to this type of sharing.  We protect, horde, and hide our things from each other.  And, when they no longer serve us, we often toss them at Goodwill or in the trash.  I do have to recognize that many donations go to very reputable causes, enhancing the lives of those that most need it.  But certainly, this type of conscious giving is usually the last place “stuff” ends up.

So, what if it went beyond clothing?  Household, electronics, kitchenware, gardening & lawn equipment, transportation, childcare, food.  The list is endless!  What would a community look like that learned and practiced the art of exchange.  How would this change you?  Your neighbor?  City?  State?  The world?

Over the last few years, Jeremy and I have learned that being frugal is not only savvy, but healthy (and good for our home, the planet).  It challenges us to think beyond our comfort zone and the boundaries set by the modern day.  Trading services has also been a valuable gift as it allows us to offer our talents, in exchange for something we’d normally pay money for.  Yet sharing of talent takes time, which is something many sadly can’t afford.

So, we start small. How aware are you of those around you?  Do you know about the lives of your neighbor?  How might you stir up a conversation of community sharing or exchange?  Plant a tiny seed and see where it grows!

I’ve heard about a time where people relied on one another, outside the family unit.  A place where exchange was a natural, normal way of life.  Everyone seemed richer, fuller, and more connected for it.  Surely, several church families have tried to bridge this widening gap, yet continue to fall short as energy runs low and visions lose steam.  Estranged communities and privatized homes are not the solution in a hurting world.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

~Margaret Mead

How might you bring frugal (thoughtful) living into your community?  What gifts can you offer?

]]> http://findingsimplicity.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/my-sisters-keeper/feed/ 0 Laura Clothes! http://findingsimplicity.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/a-day-for-memory/ http://findingsimplicity.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/a-day-for-memory/#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:48:33 +0000 Laura http://findingsimplicity.wordpress.com/?p=295 ]]>

April – September = 6-month Blogging Sabbatical.  :-}

Ge’ez, where has the time gone!  I can’t believe it’s been so long since my last post!  Spring semester ended, summer came, and summer went.  As we circle back into the fall season, I feel excited about the change in the air.  Living in the Pacific NW, we are fortunate in that we get to experience distinct seasonal cycles.  And while I appreciate other parts of the year, this is particularly my favorite.

My husband turned 30 on Tuesday.  In our culture, the big 3-0 is a big scary deal (for most).  Yet, we’ve discovered and found joy in the fact that each passing year only gets better.  We don’t mourn that our 20’s are gone with the wind, but instead celebrate all the highs & lows.  It was a fabulous decade, filled with memories that will last a lifetime.

Kissed by the Sun

So, what did we do?  Living in Oregon, we are surrounded by endless outdoor options.  Yet, it was obvious that Tuesday’s celebration called for a day of relaxing and reflecting on the beautiful, picturesque coast.  Plus, the weather forecast called for 80’s and sunshine!  WOW — can’t get much better than that!

So, we packed up a picnic lunch and headed west, throwing all “to do’s” out the window.  As we found a prime beach location and hunkered down for the afternoon, I felt a flood of emotions.  Truthfully, it was a day ordered straight from the hands of God.  The sunshine, scenery, light breeze, and soft sand cradled us like newborn babies.  We were in awe over creation!  No words can fully define all that we took in.

Bathing in Creation

As I continue to study and live into simplicity, I’m discovering a new sense of freedom.  Few people shared the ocean with us that day.  Yet, all that were there felt something special.  It was  a day where time just seemed to stand still.  Everything and everyone slowed down.  For an afternoon, we all became children.  Basking in the glorious rays, digging our toes into the silky earth, living in the given moment.  A gift and a day locked into memory.

“To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.”

~Helen Keller

Simplicity, as some see it, is not about self-deprivation.  It’s actually quite the opposite.  As we choose less, we truly gain more.  Not more in the sense of material possession.  But more in the luxury of joy and real living.  Our values change and we begin to embrace something better.  Our eyes, the windows to our soul, gain new sight.  We are invited to bathe in nature and take in what we so often miss.  Our day on the ocean helped validate that simplicity and celebration go hand in hand.  Every day, every hour, and every minute of our lives count.  Yet, the rushing and busyness of our present day robs us of this pleasure.

“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature.  It will never fail you.”

~Frank Lloyd Wright

How will today be etched into your memory?

Mark your calendars!  This Saturday, March 28th at 8:30pm local time is Earth Hour.  Will you join us?  

…….

Simply Stunning.

Over the past several months, my heart has been breaking.  As I was driving along the beautiful roads of Oregon, I witnessed a massive evergreen tree falling from the sky.  As it crashed to the ground, its pristine, thick needles crumbled into pieces.  Something that was so bold and breath-taking; gone in a matter of seconds.  As I studied the scene, I realized that a massive chain saw had been brutally hacking at its thick trunk.  When the tree and dust cleared, what was left behind made my stomach turn in circles.  A gaudy, over-sized sign:

“STORAGE – COMING SOON!  Reserve your space today!”

Your space.  Who’s space?  Truthfully, it made me sick.  Was this necessary?  Another storage unit?  Over the past few weeks I’ve noticed these things going up faster than we blink our eyes.

As much as I’ve tried to forget the scene, the image of the tree falling has stayed with me.  As I reflect a bit on this happening, I start to wonder why.  Who are we to do this to nature?  What kind of “stuff” qualifies for this type of destruction?  Is it a valuable use of space or just another way for us to mark our territory?

Now, I understand that some storage units are necessary.  Moving, living overseas, family crisis, and death of a loved one all constitute use of extra space.  Yet, in our current situation of economic decline, why are storage units rising faster than the sun?  My best guess is that people are stuck.  And when they are stuck, unable to move to larger living, the reality sinks in.  Where do we put all this stuff?  How can we survive with so little space?  I wonder if the inventor of storage units ever rented one of his own?

So, take a moment to think about this.  In no way do I mean to offend or judge.  Yet, doesn’t it seem silly?  The majority of people that I worked with in organizing openly admitted that they had no idea what was in their storage unit.  And yet, they continued to pay the inflated price each and every month without question.  Really?

Reconnect to Nature.

The thing is, when we rent a storage unit, we endorse it.  And when we pay the monthly bill for someone else to store our stuff, we vote with our money, recognizing them for offering a “worthy” service.  These places would not be in business if it weren’t for our over consumptive society.  Most of the time, the stuff that is stored is just that.  Stuff.  It sits, collecting dust.  Slowly purged, but mostly, added to.  Forgotten with time.  Sometimes, the stuff even gets moved to a larger unit because the smaller one started to burst at the seams!

As I continue to study simplicity, I realize that consciousness is part of the process.  Noticing, seeing, and communicating the things that just don’t feel right inside.  For me, this is one of them.  If this has hit a sore point for you or ruffled some feathers, maybe it’s time to reconsider how you look at the things around your life.  Re-evaluate the layers behind the reasoning.  Why is it important that you keep the stuff?  How will you stop bringing the stuff into your life and home?  If extra space is truly necessary at this point in your life, can you work something out with a friend or family member?  Might they have room for you to store your things, temporary?  Personally, I would much rather give my money to a loved one than encourage a business I don’t support.  Taking time to shed this from your life will bring freedom, as well as money saved.

How will you let go of the excess in your life?  If you currently rent a storage unit, how and when can you hand back the keys?

So, what kind of gifts do you give?  Creative?  Meaningful?  Special and unique to that person?  Made in China?

Over the Christmas season, my sister-in-law (thanks, Jen!) sent a unique gift that definitely warmed our hearts and

The Gift of Adoption

made us curious about a worthy cause.  The Defenders of Wildlife organization works for the protection of all wild animals and plant species in their natural communities.  For those of you still looking for that special someone on Valentine’s Day, adopting an animal is a great way to give back!  And, what a fabulous idea for any birthday!

After receiving this gift, it got me thinking.  I really want to be more conscious in my gift-giving efforts.  Where do these things come from?  How are they made?  What cause or population does it support?

So Sweet. So Local.

To get our minds rolling, I want to introduce two more ideas.  Although I have not yet done this myself, another wonderful gift idea can be found here.  You receive a reusable bag (better for the environment!) AND you get to feed  one child for an entire school year!  Now that’s a worthy gift!

And, the gift of time.  I recently had the opportunity to treat my good friend, Jessica, to a special afternoon at the Lavender Tea House.  Shopping and dining locally is another valuable way to not only give gifts, but to support those in your immediate area.  The Tea House is also a strong advocate for women in business.  They elegantly display and sell various homemade products and foods to help support the surrounding communities.  People working together to make a difference.  Now that’s something I can put my money into!

“If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give.”

~George MacDonald

So, how will you give back in your gift-giving?  Who or what will you support?  Let me know…..really, I’d love to hear your ideas!

What is the obsession with busyness, speed, and multi-tasking in our lives today?  Why does it (in our minds) equate to success and a “job well done”?  Now, don’t get me wrong, busy is not always bad.  There are seasons and reasons in our lives to be moving faster.  Hard work does not come easy, yet I often wonder, “What is it all for?”  Really.  Why do we do what we do?  If you take an honest look and peel back the layers, you may be surprised at what you find.  Good or bad.

During my time in Hawaii, I became fascinated by a tiny creature.  So small, yet so determined.  He would make his way each morning across the vast green covering.  Slowly, but steadily, inching his way to the other side.  One focus, one task.  Doing one thing, and doing it well.  Some may see this as strange, but I saw it as an important reminder and relevant metaphor.  In the rat race we often call life, I want to sit back in my old age and see that I lived well.  I want to know that I enjoyed the smaller moments, and praised the normal and routine parts of every day.  I want to know that slow was acceptable and that beauty really could be found here.  To study the lines and curves of creation (as the snail had to do to make its way through the tall blades of grass), I want to know I made time to do this.  I want to see, really see.  Yet, if speed and hurry run my days, I will miss the real gems and reasons for life.

Personally, I struggle deeply with worry and anxiety.  My mind regularly slips into the future and wonders how things will all work out.  I catch myself running into a black hole, where I lose sight of what is right in front of me.  I forget God and try to convince myself that I control my life.  I fool myself into thinking that I am so much bigger than I actually am.  Recently, I read a book called, The Way of the Small, by Michael Gellert.  While I have always been perplexed and awed by the grandness of space and infinite number of stars, Gellert helped remind me to keep things in perspective.  In the scope of it all, we are but a tiny speck.  Earth is a dot, sustained by the hands of God.  Have you ever considered how truly amazing this is?  Our lives are precious, and how we live them, matters.  Yet, addiction to speed and anxiety are thieves of our modern time.  They pull blinders over our eyes and convince us of their necessities.  They rob us, every day.

“My Chinese side wonders why Americans are so uneasy with time on their hands and must busy themselves with activities, the sweatier the better.  Why do they keep changing their minds and ways, jobs and towns and spouses?….Americans are a self-selected breed programmed by their genes to be forever on the go and cursed by the Fates never to enjoy luxuriating in the material comforts and spiritual splendors of home.  Is it any wonder then that they are always asking themselves who they are?  They just don’t stay put or reflect long enough to find out.”

~Bette Bao Lord

So, become aware of your time and how you use it.  Can you justify the hurry in your life today?  What if you focused this energy elsewhere?  How would your daily perspective and life change?