Simplicity

For many of us, our lives become more complicated as the years go on. We take up new responsibilities without discarding the old ones. We fill our homes with stuff we may have needed at one time, but don't any longer. In our efforts to make these complications more manageable, we build complicated routines around them to keep track. We complicate the complications.

Lately I've been simplifying a bit:

Possessions: How much energy is it taking me to store this? to dust this? to keep batteries in it? I'm never going to need the camping gear again, even if it survived decades in the basement. So, off it goes. The kids are all grown and gone. I loved the toys but I don't need them any more.

Ambitions: They all take vast amounts of energy. I'd rather spend my energy elsewhere. Perhaps one day this may change, but not today.

Time: If my appointment calendar is filling, I space things so I don't have to be "on" every day. I don't multitask any more. I say "no" with kindness and no thought that it needs to be anything else. I turn off phone notifications.

Accomplishment: My pastry may not be as good as Mom's but they all still eat my butter tarts.

Distractions: When some young thing asks me what my plans are for the weekend, I give her a satisfied smile and tell her "a warm bed, maybe a movie, and maybe chocolate. Or maybe I'll try out a new recipe."

Words: I don't need people to know what I think about something. If they want to know they can ask. Gossip is poison. Silence is golden.

Once I start to simplify, I feel better. Over time, the feeling of freedom it brings strengthens. It becomes more pleasant than the comfort of all the stuff I've been hanging onto. It's a bit like watching the water swirl down the drain after doing the dishes. Relief. Release. More room in my life for the 100 little joys of each day.

Lately I've been simplifying a bit. I wonder if it's an age thing?