My American dream no longer consists of getting more. I do not desire a bigger house. I do not desire the sportiest vehicle. I do not dream of bigger closets and endless shopping trips.
In fact, I desire much less than what I currently have. We recently had a garage sale to get rid of some of our excess and I have more boxes of things I plan to donate. Cleaning out makes me happy, but it also makes me sad. Each item I get rid of represents money I have spent. When I load up the boxes for donation, I do not see a pretty picture to hang, I see money that I could have saved. I no longer see pretty shirts in the donation pile, I see hard earned money easily given away.
While it does make me sad to see some of my poor choices sold for $1 each or loaded up to give way, I am thankful. I am thankful that I no longer am a slave to my possessions. I am thankful that my desire for less has me shopping less. I am thankful that when I do shop I find only what is necessary and I am able to walk away from things that will only clutter my home.
I want less house. I always find myself looking at real estate online. Now, we are not ready to move from our current house, but we know that when we do move our priorities of what is necessary in our future home are less. Our house now is not big by any means, but it is not what I want. I want a home that has character and has large shared family spaces and not necessarily large bedrooms. I want the spaces that my friends and family gather to be adequate and comfortable.
I like looking around my home and knowing that I could do without any of my possessions. It is freeing to know that having less does not mean being without. I have a long way to go but I know that I am on a great path. I am excited when I taking things out of our home. I think living in a different home would be a fun adventure for my family.
So, at the moment, we are learning to live with less and are gaining so much more. Our perspective on many things has changed and it's a very good thing.
5 comments:
I know what you are talking about. Learning to live with less. I had to do that when I was younger and my kids had to learn to do that when I got my divorce.
I really hope you get to have your dream home!
Brandi, I was just falling through cyberspace and stopped by your home. I admire your understanding of what is important. You must be a lovely person and I wish you love and peace.
You are a woman after my own heart. I discovered I was missing something when I ran accross the 100 Thing Challenge. I was inspired by the man who whittled his worldly posessiones down to 100 items. I aspire to do a similar thing, but instead of giving my things away I sell as much as I can. I have a library of books I have been selling to on line book buy back sights, box by box (keeping those that I need and love of course). I've done a similar thing with my clothing, selling them to places like Plato's Closet and different consignment shops around town. I've sold my ATV and an old bedroom set on a local online classifieds sight. I have regained hundreds of dollars doing this. I'm about to move to Germany and I must travel light, but really, I'm finding the ultimate value of not being possessed by my possessions. I feel so much more free! Don't stop doing what your doing and pass these values throughout your family. Consumerism and materialism will not fill the holes in our life. Personal Relationships, Spirituality, Comunity and Love are the only things that will mend our souls. Yay Us, we figured it out!
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