Incubation. Sometimes you just need to step back, see what you have created and reflect. That's what I've been doing the past few months. My husband and I moved to a little island off the Gulf Coast. We leased a small beach house and decided to live the simple life that we have been seeking. We eliminated one car and vowed to keep our new environment simple and functional.
Maintaining the spirit of the 100 Things Challenge, we decided to create a minimalist home from scratch. We have a new home in New York, so this was an experimental adventure to see if we could live minimally. And, I'm happy to report that we have been able to create a very simple, clean, creative beach home. We decorated the walls with star fish, sand dollars and simple paintings of the Gulf.
Its surprising to realize what you "don't need" in your daily life. This helped us to appreciate the fullness of our "real life" which was filled daily with nature, beauty, clean white sugar sand beaches, and beautiful turquoise water. Our days are spent exploring dunes, and sand bars, watching the birds and turtles and dolphins. There is so much to do outside each day that we find ourselves waking earlier and staying outside later in the evenings to watch the stars. All of it with no connections to "things".
I'm saddened to report,though, that our beloved beach and water might be in the path of the BP oil spill. How will that change our simple life? My focus now will be to appreciate and share glimpses of the simple life while its happening now......focusing on the now.
beautiful, simple life. good post.
ReplyDeleteI've started my 100 things list and find it amazing that I can't really come up with 100 things that I absolutely want and need. You're right, just focus on the now and appreciate the simplicity right in front of our eyes.
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