With too much “stuff” piled on our shelves, written on our calendars and whirling through our minds, life can start to feel complicated. Suddenly there is much to worry about, and hardly any time for anything. And then I start to notice—more fighting, more crying, more tension in the house— and I understand deeply that we’re sliding off track. In those moments, I know that it’s time to make some changes.
It’s time to simplify.
At the end of the day, I am seeking a peaceful life. I want to create a peaceful life for my family. I want a home that welcomes us and shelters us from the craziness and busyness of the outside world. I want to notice nature’s changes and cycles and feel my connection to them, to know my place in the universe. I want our time to be for the pure joys of living and playing and exploring. And when there is conflict (and there will be conflict) I want us to know how to find calm and compassion so they may guide us back to each other.
I do believe that when we strip away all of the excess- thoughts, commitments, toys, noise, stress- we discover that what we are seeking has been here all along- the comfortable home, the connection with nature, time to enjoy life, calmness and compassion. Yes, the peaceful life is already here, underneath all of the “stuff” that gets in the way. So let’s clear it all away (and learn to keep it away!) so each day can be an expression of our family’s true purpose.
Showing posts with label Simplicity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Simplicity. Show all posts
Preparing: Part 2 (Reflections)
Prior to having children, my husband and I talked of many aspects of starting a family, but we never thought to discuss the way in which our little family would navigate the larger world. Or even, how our home would provide peace and shelter away from life’s fast pace. At that time, we were still moving at such a fast pace...we couldn’t have known the questions to contemplate.
While pregnant for the first time, I was blessed to have discovered beautiful writings on mindfulness that opened my heart to a new understanding of parenting. I have carried with me an understanding that these days are fleeting and the ordinary moments, magical. Even so, as I think back to my daughter’s earliest years, I remember feeling pulled in two directions- a foot in my old life, still working outside the home, still moving fast, and the other foot searching for a soft place to rest with my baby.
It wasn’t until my second daughter was born, and I actually left my career behind, that I could find the softness I had been longing for. It was then that I read Kim John Payne’s book, Simplicity Parenting, and uncovered a truth deep inside myself. His words brought my own beliefs about the innocence of childhood clearly into focus, and I began to see myself differently, and to understand my purpose more deeply. A mother was more fully emerging.
Today, my husband and I talk regularly about the outside influences that impact our family life. As we organize our home, build friendships with other families, volunteer in the community, and otherwise venture beyond our little nucleus, we are continually looking at the changes that each decision brings. Most importantly, we’re becoming able to make adjustments when we notice that the pace or quality of our time together has been affected by something we have done. As confidence in our parenting grows, we find it is becoming easier to define the type of childhood we want to provide for our daughters, and to use our words and actions to establish boundaries which protect that precious time.
While pregnant for the first time, I was blessed to have discovered beautiful writings on mindfulness that opened my heart to a new understanding of parenting. I have carried with me an understanding that these days are fleeting and the ordinary moments, magical. Even so, as I think back to my daughter’s earliest years, I remember feeling pulled in two directions- a foot in my old life, still working outside the home, still moving fast, and the other foot searching for a soft place to rest with my baby.
It wasn’t until my second daughter was born, and I actually left my career behind, that I could find the softness I had been longing for. It was then that I read Kim John Payne’s book, Simplicity Parenting, and uncovered a truth deep inside myself. His words brought my own beliefs about the innocence of childhood clearly into focus, and I began to see myself differently, and to understand my purpose more deeply. A mother was more fully emerging.
Today, my husband and I talk regularly about the outside influences that impact our family life. As we organize our home, build friendships with other families, volunteer in the community, and otherwise venture beyond our little nucleus, we are continually looking at the changes that each decision brings. Most importantly, we’re becoming able to make adjustments when we notice that the pace or quality of our time together has been affected by something we have done. As confidence in our parenting grows, we find it is becoming easier to define the type of childhood we want to provide for our daughters, and to use our words and actions to establish boundaries which protect that precious time.
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