Simplicity.....

Part of the title of this blog includes the words "and the road to a simple, happy life".  I have been shown by the universe (or whoever is out there), that a simple life is the one that brings me the most peace, and so my greatest happiness. I have more than once in my life, lost everything and yet those times directly afterward were the most serene, and also were the times I felt the most gratitude towards life. How can this be you ask? Those times taught me to be grateful for everything I did have and received, and so I was. Naturally what follows with such gratitude is that the universe gives you more and more to be grateful for. Not everyone remembers in times of such abundance to be as wholeheartedly grateful, I certainly am guilty of that. When I stop and take stock in my life, I know without a doubt how much I have, but at times those insecurities step in and I am afraid to lose it all again. I start to question, "what will happen if A occurs?" "what will I do if B occurs?" and of course, I, like most people, start wanting more, I think mostly it's a coping mechanism that tries to make me believe if I have more and more and more I will be safe. The truth is, I know no one is ever "safe", things happen, LIFE happens, and anyone can lose at anytime. So what to do about it? I can toss it around and around and around in my mind, worrying about what might happen down the road, and likely I'll bring that very thing to myself. Orrrrrr....I can just let it be, enjoy all that life brings me, and try to get back to that more simplistic life where I was grateful for everything. This of course is my challenge. When I first moved to this home, there were no gardens, no flowers, no outside plants except for a few trees, so we started from scratch. The first thing I did was make a small butterfly garden. Something I have wanted for years and years and years. I never had the space or money to do it, now I was faced with the space, although still not much money. I went to Lowe's, found 2 butterfly bushes that were near dead and marked down to 1.00 each. I bought them and put them in the little space I had created. then I got a couple more plants that had been marked down. Another time I splurged and paid full price for a hummingbird feeder. All in, by the time I was done, the little butterfly garden cost me a total of about $40. It has brought me immense joy for 2 years and probably will for alot more. The butterflies flock to it and in late afternoons it is covered in butterflies, and the two hummingbirds that frequent it every morning bring a smile to my face with their antics. I have since put many plants, flowers etc throughout the yard and have spent and respent alot of money doing so. None of it brings me as much joy as that little butterfly garden. I need to remember the lesson that has taught me, simple things done with so much joy mean the most. I don't need the most cooking utensils or the latest gadgets. I don't need to buy more and more books, I have a wonderful library 10 minutes away that provides very current books on many subjects. Do I love books? absolutely. Do I need to own them in my home? No, I just love to read, that's what brings me joy. I was reading a blog recently about paring down your wardrobe how much you actually wear of what you own and I started looking in my closet to see what I wear. The author was correct, I wear about 20% of what I own and some of the things in my closet I haven't worn in 2 years and let's not even start with the shoes. Crazy right? yet I was considering going to buy some new clothes just a few days ago. I've now decided to not buy anything new until I have cleared my closet of those things I do not and likely will not wear, including the shoes. Then maybe I'll pick up a couple things to supplement what I already own, we'll see. To tie this all up let me just bring up one other thing. When my children were young and we were out in stores, they would beg for this or that, and my question was always "do you NEED it, or do you WANT it?" and if it was something they really needed then we would discuss it, if it was something they wanted we would wait a week and see whether they still wanted it, most often they never brought the item up again, if they did then we would work out a plan on how they could save to get it. I need to remember that lesson.

Thanks for reading and let me know any of your strategies to keep your life simple and joyful.