Journeying Toward the Simple

I've done three things in the past week to contribute to my goal of creating a simpler life. I have:
1. Joined a CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) program.
2. Cleaned out my cedar chest, donating a box of stuff to a local charity.
3. Shopped at a thrift store for the first time.

The CSA I joined is called Fresh Option Organic Delivery. CSAs are a program by which people pay a flat fee to receive a share of locally grown fruits and vegetables on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. I decided to join a CSA for two reasons. First, I want to eat more and a greater variety of in season fruits and vegetables. I was particularly inspired to commit to this change after reading Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food". See my post "Eating Simply" for more. My second reason was to put my money where my mouth is and support local farmers and food suppliers.

I received my first delivery of organic fruits and veggies a couple of days ago. I was very impressed and have eaten well since. I even cooked red chard for the first time ever, making Linguine with Pancetta and Chard. It was wonderful.

As for cleaning out my cedar chest, the experience was quite liberating. I found a few gifts from over 5 years ago that I was holding onto simply because it felt wrong to give them away. A set of body lotions that my sensitive skin would likely react to, an ornate 16 x 20 glass picture frame, and a pile of old pants that don't fit were among the items that are now on their way to finding better homes. My only regret is that it took me over 5 years to get rid of these things. It's amazing what guilt can do to create clutter. I plan to continue this de-cluttering process little by little over the next few weeks.

And finally, I shopped in a thrift store for the first time ever! Well, I bought a costume for my grade 11 school musical at a thrift store, but today was the first time I bought an actual item of non-theater related clothing at such a place. I have my friend J to thank for this adventure. She is a thrift store queen who graciously took me to one of her favorite haunts. I think I'll be back. After all, thrift stores are the ultimate exercise in frugality, so long as one is buying items that he or she actually needs.

Well, this is what my week in simplicity looked like. I am quite pleased and recommend my endeavors to you. In the next week, I wish to continue experimenting with all the lovely fruits and vegetables waiting patiently in the kitchen, de-clutter another corner of the house and begin a daily meditation practice. I'll let you know how it goes.

Take Care,
Bre

Frugality, Contentment and Non-Greed

I see simple living as intentionally and continuously developing the following three qualities: 1) frugality 2) contentment and 3) non-greed.

• Frugality is the practice of acquiring goods and services in a restrained manner and resourcefully using what you already have, to achieve a longer term goal.



• I see contentment as actively being satisfied with where you are, what you have, and who you are.



• Non-greed is the absence of a selfish or excessive desire for more than is needed or deserved, especially of money, wealth, food, or other possessions.

In a way, I’ve always been drawn to simple living. As a child, playing the game MASH, I remember preferring the possibility of living in a shack to living in a mansion. “Who’s going to clean all of those rooms” I thought. As a teen I loved learning to cook and sew, skills I did not see as being at odds with my growing feminist ideals. I loved the personal satisfaction I felt while pulling a macaroni casserole out of the oven and placing it on the table as my mother returned home from work. When I began dating my current partner, I told him in no uncertain terms not to buy me jewelry and that I didn’t expect fancy dinners (he was 22, I was 20 and we were each living in our own apartments and supporting ourselves on a limited income).

There is of course the other side of this coin- the temptations of our consumer culture to indulge, amass, overspend, want, desire, covet and generally complicate our lives with a whole lot of mental and physical clutter. I have been down this road as well. It’s all too easy to get there.
As children, my sister and I kept a scrapbook filled with cutouts from the Sears catalog of all the toys we wished to possess. We would add new cutouts to the book on a regular basis, while sitting in a room surrounded by boxes upon boxes of toys.

As a teen I coveted physical beauty and aesthetic perfection. Apparently, in order to have a perfect complexion all I had to do was find the perfect face cream. I soon amassed a collection of jars and tubes and bottles, none of which delivered the promised complexion.

Just two years ago my partner and I decided to co-purchase a house with my mother. As my mother is single and we were still in University (and so had no down payment) it sounded like a perfect plan. However, I feel I allowed myself to get “upsold” by a snappy agent and we now live in a 3400 square foot house on a prestigious street with high taxes. We can afford it on paper and don’t get me wrong I love the yard, kitchen and sunroom. Sometimes, however, I feel this house is an albatross around our necks, causing all sorts of psychic anxiety. I truly wish I would have stayed true to my ideals of simplicity and exercised more restraint when purchasing a home.

One can not go back though. One can only learn from past mistakes and move forward. That’s what I plan to do. So, even while living in this house, I commit to living a life of frugality, contentment and non-greed.

Take Care,

Bre