"Most people have too much;
I alone seem to be missing something.
Mine is indeed the mind of an ignoramus
in its unadulterated simplicity.
I am but a guest in this world.
While others rush about to get things done,
I accept what is offered.
I alone seem foolish,
earning little, spending less.
Other people strive for fame;
I avoid the limelight,
preferring to be left alone.
Indeed I seem like an idiot;
no mind, no worries.
I drift like a wave on the ocean.
I blow as aimless as the wind."
2oth verse, The Tao Te Ching
come and rest
Welcome to my little get-away. Do you like it? Before we settle in let’s toss some of the excess baggage. There’s no room for those resentments about the past nor worries about tomorrow. Get rid of that backpack of responsibilities weighing you down. Settle in under my palm tree and let’s look just beyond the horizon. It’s calling us, isn’t it? Rest for the soul.
Our society (read between the lines here – the greed of Western culture) is insane with its preoccupation with material goods and financial success. In the years leading up to 2008 and the economic meltdown, I was part of that insanity – accumulation of unmanageable debt, an absence of a savings plan, and basing self-worth on net-worth. Then, the year 2009 brought a major adjustment to my life’s vision. Bankruptcy including the loss of my business, my income, and my home at the age of 62 involuntarily initiated a different style of living. It was called simplicity, something I had always admired, but never truly embraced. It was fine for other people, however, I saw it as poverty.
I learned to love simplicity after the necessary adjustments were made to spending habits and lifestyle. I gained a freedom never before experienced, an opportunity to escape the treadmill called the American dream. It affords hours daily to simply be, to commune with one’s nature, one’s Maker and the beauty of the earth given to us as a dwelling place. Resting in awe of the incredible life process we experience is a daily ‘activity’. Would you like to come and rest with me? Sit under my palm tree and gaze at the horizon?
Jesus, who escaped to the serenity of a garden frequently, said it this way to his disciples: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” MARK 6:30 Productivity and success are radically redefined when pursuing this lifestyle advised by the ancient mystics.
So many of us have lived our lives placing unmerited value on the opinions of others while discrediting our personal truth and reality. Breaking the shackles of people-pleasing requires honest self-appraisal, a healthy dose of self-esteem, and an enormous commitment to self-realization.
….as near as the destination may be, it’s still the journey that matters….
poverty or simplicity ?
So many of us have lived our lives placing unmerited value on the opinions of others while discrediting our personal truth and reality. Breaking the shackles of people-pleasing requires honest self-appraisal, a healthy dose of self-esteem, and an enormous commitment to self-realization.
LIVE FREE OR DIE
It is not surprising that many of my daily inspirational readings focus on Matthew 11:29 –
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest in your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
For my generation, these are probably the most difficult times Americans have ever experienced. Our nation has been cut in two by opposing political forces and we are struggling with an unfathomed health crisis.
We have been bamboozled by a capitalistic economy which places unmerited value on materialism, property and assets leaving the majority of us in the lower echelon of a prosperous society. We are seen not as symbols of simplicity, but as statistics of poverty. We have been victimized by a social culture which tells Americans that we are better than the rest of the world. We have been deceived about the earth’s resources – that there is not enough for all mankind; therefore, we should horde and accumulate. We are continually bombarded with our deficiencies rather than our blessings. The cup is always half empty rather than half full. But, Matthew 11:29 says that we don’t have to carry those burdens.
The Gospels are often called ‘the Good News’. Contemporary theologians tend to emphasize the salvific promise of this ‘Good News’ as the salient message. However, the ancients who wrote the scriptures in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were also carrying a message to the disenfranchised, the poor, the oppressed, the underprivileged, the down-trodden not so much about eternity in heaven but about joyous survival on earth.
This message is one that proclaims a freedom from the problems and cares of a materialistic world. That freedom happens when priorities change. Today’s America is just a blip on history’s radar screen. Yes, it is important and we need to pay attention, but it is not important enough to throw our lives into continual depression, fear and defeat.
What can I change about today, what can I not change about today? Pray about it, surrender it and then get on with life. Let Jesus handle it. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. In Psalms we are told to “be still and know God.” The Jewish tradition renders this as “cease striving and know God.” The wisdom of Alcoholics Anonymous says, “let go and let God.”
I will trust in those who have “been there and done that.” 
a sacred earth ?
“One of the reasons we’re destroying the planet is that it has lost its sacred dimension for us. The planet as given to us by science is a physical reality essentially meaningless in itself. It’s a resource for our physical activity.”
—Thomas Berry, Dream of the Earth
Centuries ago science overtook faith as reality. The wisdom of the ancients tied the sacredness of our earth and of nature to a power beyond the understanding and reasoning of mankind. But man’s arrogance demanded an answer to all questions and the discovered explanations which they accepted denied the sacredness of Creation. The earth has become just another vehicle for our selfish endeavors.
simplicity, gratitude, generosity
“Aware of the poverty and greed in the world and of the intrinsic abundance of the earth, I stand in the presence of the ancestors, the earth, and future generations and vow to cultivate the simplicity, gratitude and generosity that have no limits.”
Rosemary Lynch and Mary Litell, Peace Grows! Pace e Bene
There is no shortage of anything in this world except, perhaps, love. The misconception of a world without enough is the result of too many people wanting too much unimportant stuff. Predicted shortages of food can be easily resolved if government subsidized mega-food industries are held accountable for the resources they consume and the ecology they destroy to produce highly profitable protein for our tables.
But ultimately, we are responsible. I am responsible for shedding exaggerated beliefs of what I need to not only survive, but thrive in today’s world whether it be foodstuffs or consumer goods. Living simply does not equate to going without; rather, it is a commitment to joyously appreciate each new day with words of thanksgiving for the earth’s abundance and generosity and then sharing that abundance cheerfully.
In words attributed to Gandhi – “live simply so that others may simply live.”
boys, men, toys
Those who know they have enough are truly wealthy – LAO TZU
The old cliché, “the only difference between men and boys is the size (and cost) of their toys,” rings soundly as I sit on my front porch watching traffic heading to the marina to launch into the Homosassa River and the Gulf the boats being pulled. A few are modest older model pickup trucks pulling equally modest boats, but most are sleek, brand new powerful Fords and Chevys towing a mini-yacht that could house a small family in comfort. Certainly they are a far cry from the sandbox trucks and bathtub boats we little boys enjoyed years ago while growing up.
And I sincerely do not begrudge their showy big-boy toys. But, I also do not understand how some of us grew up to be content with the small toys in life while others were driven to bigger, better, shinier and more powerful. Driving 18-wheeler coast to coast and north to south during the 1990s into 2009, we encountered frequently a fellow trucker keying up on his CB radio with a harsh crackle and a booming “Breaker, breaker 19. Anybody got a copy on this here radio-o-o-o-o. C’mon back-k-k-k”
Undoubtedly, folks two states away had a copy on this driver’s echoing master-blaster CB radio. It was annoying and totally worthless for anything other than a showy display of strength and power. My driving partner, a man not known to mince words, would reply, “yeah hand, we have a copy on your radio and we’re so glad you’ve finally found a big toy to compensate for your other small equipment.”
Worked every time. Spitting and fuming just momentarily that radio then went silent. That usually happened; however there were times when a profanity laced, violence threatening discussion ensued about equipment size as boys and men will often do.
It’s all about ego, isn’t it? If the poor man with a shabby little rowboat feels less worthy than the man towing his $250,000 yacht with an $80,000 pickup truck, then that poor man has an ego problem. If the rich man with the big toys feels better than the man with a little rowboat, then he also has an ego problem, doesn’t he?
A healthy ego along with balanced self-esteem teach us that blessings are not dependent upon wealth or possessions. Your toys, no matter how large or expensive, are no better than my little dinghy with oars. What is important is the level of self-worth your toys give to you or detract from me. Simplicity is all about mind-set and priorities. Even more, it is about living joyously day-to-day this mystery called life and disallowing the external forces of consumerism and consumption to call the shots. 🙏
NAOMI KLEIN – capitalism
photo by PIXABAY
NAOMI KLEIN, “NO IS NOT ENOUGH” “With unleashed white supremacy and misogyny, with the world teetering on the edge of ecological collapse, with the very last vestiges of the public sphere set to be devoured by capital, it’s clear that we need to do more than draw a line in the sand and say ‘no more.’ Yes, we need to do that and we need to chart a credible and inspiring path to a different future. And that future . . . has to be somewhere we have never been before.”
We know, we all know that the violence, hatred, greed and intolerance in today’s world cannot be sustained. Most of us also know that the destruction of the earth’s resources for financial gain cannot be sustained. We must transcend to a place where polar bears and rain forests are more esteemed than stock portfolios and asset holdings. The consequences of ignoring the pleas of nature will be dire. Do you hear Mother Earth screaming? No, she’s not calling to us for assistance; rather, the scream is at us for being so stupid and self-indulged. She knows the earth will recover and flourish – we, homo-sapiens, will not.
Mike Pompeo, our Secretary of State, referred to the melting polar ice cap as ” a wonderful economic opportunity for international trade…..West to Asia shipping routes across the ice free Artic would cut shipping times by 2 to 3 weeks.” Perhaps Mike would be ecstatic with the prospect of Atlanta, Georgia, becoming a major Atlantic seaport after the waters have risen to cover the entire eastern seaboard. Charleston and Savannah will have gone the route of ancient fabled Atlantis. That’s right, Mike. Who needs polar bears?
Naomi Klein, in her book, is speaking to unfettered capitalism, the kind that doesn’t value polar bears and rainforests. But, run-away capitalism relies on all of us playing the game of consumerism. It’s a relatively new game plan that did not exist generations ago when the wood cook stove was an heirloom handed from generation to generation or the wooden furniture was truly made of wood and lasted for centuries. My grandmother’s first encounter with “throw-away” was a roll of paper towels. She washed out the sheets and hung them behind the stove to dry. 😍
We can beat the capitalists at their own game. Don’t buy their products and the money flow reverses. When the bottom line for stockholders declines, management and ownership will need to change the game. It’s not at all complicated. My grandparents mastered consumerism out of necessity. The family car was not replaced until the wheels no longer turned. The old Frigidaire refrigerator in the kitchen was not replaced just because it did not have the latest gadgets and dials. It served faithfully for 30 years with a freezer that served up hundreds of gallons of home made ice cream. Designer clothes for school were not purchased every year because we all wore clothes without fancy name tags until they had no wear left in them. Our shirts were JC Penney hand-me-downs. We learned how to conserve natural resources because we had a deep reverence for the earth. Too simplistic, you say? Just learn to say no to the incessant flow of advertising on your media screens and half the battle is won.
Of course the consequences of allowing the corporate world to rape the earth are huge. But, so are we. Collectively, we have a voice bigger than anything that comes off Madison Avenue or Wall Street. Each one of us can decide today to put off that new phone or flat screen. We can choose to have a vegetarian dinner tonight instead of beef raised on land that once was a rain forest. We can wear that same old pair of sneakers for another year. Grandma and Grandpa will be proud of us. The polar bears will love us.
“This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand of it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” TREATY ORATION 1854 CHIEF SEATTLE
HERE COMES THE SUN – rise up joyously
SEBASTIAN VOORTMAN photographer
If I were a miracle worker, every child on earth would have a breakfast waiting for them on the kitchen table, every mother would have the resources to feed her family with nutritious foods, every father would have a job that provides for a comfortable home, every morning would fill the house with cheer, sunshine and laughter.
But, I am just me. So, I guess the little things I can do to make this world a better place will have to suffice. Feed myself in a way that leaves food on the table for the next person, live my life without excess comfort, bring whatever cheer I can to those less fortunate. Love the Muslim brother and sister down the street the same as I love me.
HAPPY RAMADAN, MAY WE SHARE TODAY’S SUNSHINE EQUALLY AND JOYOUSLY.
SIMPLICITY
Just another traveler on life’s highway hanging out in the slow lane. It’s quiet. It’s peaceful. Beyond the horizon is rest beckoning me. Green pastures, still waters, my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me.
Book, Candle, Desk, Chair, Pen & Sleeping Mat.
This is what it has come to, my friends. As I look around at the accumulation of stuff which has followed me around for 53 years since the day I rented my 1st living space, I sigh and mutter to myself, “Is this all there is?”
No, I’m not having a Peggy Lee moment. I am simply tired of the baggage in my life. Looking at the cupboard which I lovingly restored in 1972, the wash stand stripped of paint and returned to its original beauty, the rocking chair which rocked my great-grandfather as he listened to his floor model Motorola radio, and the old dishes in the cupboard which also set in my Grandma’s “shunk”, I realize that as I carted them from numerous abodes in Pennsylvania to Florida in 1995, the memories traveled with them. And those memories will always be with me until the memory banks fail or die.
But the stuff, oh Lord, the stuff that keeps me from living in a cave or in a monastery, or in the woods in a tent, or in a room up in somebody’s garret. Just a book, a candle, a desk, a chair, pen and sleeping mat today screams to me, “Freedom!”
Some of my recovering friends would say that I need a thorough housecleaning, an internal inventory to alleviate my travail. But, although they are often right, this is not the case today. I simply need simplicity. I am tired and I am ready to embark on a different and exciting journey, a new QUEST.
You may challenge me with, “From what are you running, Larry?”
Truly, I have run from many things in my life, mostly myself. But, I know what ‘running from’ is like. This is different. This is running towards the place where I hope to spend the last few years of my life – a simple, uncluttered life. If I sincerely trust that a higher power will provide for my needs, then what I desire should not be impossible. If I really believe that all my material needs can be packed in a suitcase and a backpack, then what is holding me back?
Commitments. Yes, sadly I still have commitments to other people. Those who have stood by me for many years now rely on me for comfort and security. The shared responsibilities of a shared life with another person cannot be abandoned even when increasingly difficult. Even Max, the cat, depends on me for his survival. And who would clean this house and cook the dinners and make sure the bills get paid on time? Who? Tell me, who?
Ahhh, it’s a pipe dream, is it not? Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose. Someday I will be free. Until then I have my stuff and my responsibilities and Max.
live simply
Our world today seems overwhelmingly complicated for most of us, especially when we are trying to balance sobriety and its demand for spiritual growth with our social needs in an ego-driven society. At some point all of us have experienced ‘burn-out’ with our lives. It happened to me many years ago when my burnout coincided with chairing an AA meeting. I suggested that very issue as the meeting’s topic of discussion. Not many in the group participated and I soon realized it was a negativity which was not good fodder for a spiritual conversation.
Living simply, of course, applies to our physical presence on this earth in many ways. Our consumer habits, our use of natural resources, our food preferences all contribute to the footprint we leave behind as humans. We are urged by ad councils and corporate America to buy, buy, buy. Buy this item and you will be beautiful. Buy our brand and you will be keeping up with the Joneses. Buy a shiny, new automobile and, baby, you have arrived.
“We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.” A PROVEN PLAN FOR FINANCIAL FITNESS by Dave Ramsey
As important as these issues are, it is the inner application of “live simply, so that others may simply live” that is extremely challenging. How do I bring my mind to a place which embraces all humanity as a brotherhood? How do I simplify and refine my ethics code to a common denominator of tolerance and inclusion? My inner simplicity determines my outward display of compassion and acceptance. When my mind analyzes and rationalizes it is not maintaining a core of simplicity. I am my best self when I become one with you and with all humanity, when I am in solidarity with brothers and sisters worldwide.
lpb quest - the twilight dance 