small beginnings

For some months I've been toying with the idea of 'the simple life'. The phrase came to me one sleepless night whilst I was wondering about how I could live more conscientiously. I was going through a period of often feeling drained and lacklustre, grey and blobby; wanting change and progress and challenge and excitement, but mostly ending up frustrated at my own inertness. I started to wonder about realistic goals I could set. Ah, goals! What a wonder of modern-day pop psychology. The be-all and end-all of accomplishment. I started to think of goals with pretty low energy requirements requiring little prerequisites. And I settled, rather unconsciously and fortuitously, on this: the simple life.

Most days I feel like I am precariously juggling my time, responsibilities, energy, patience, generosity, and all the other finite resources that each of us are allotted. I realise I am in no way unique, and it's been by observing some other people that I see glimpses and shades of how they wage this war. It appears that some people more naturally adopt a rhythm which gives themselves greater space to breathe deeper and slower than, for example, I do. Learning how to do this is not something that I think will be nonchalantly acquired by osmosis. It's a practice I want to form.

I decided to blog about it for a number of reasons. Firstly, I want to develop a space which allows me to exercise creativity and expression. Modern life does not naturally encourage this, and I feel a scarcity of these practices in my daily experience. Sometimes I feel a craving for creativity that is akin to the desire for solitude, or exercise, or time with loved ones. It is a fundamental part of being human; but it does not just happen. I work in a non-creative environment, so I need to build it into my life.

Secondly, I want to share it with you. Many of you are beacons to me personally in a murky, busy, maelstrom of activity; beacons of imperfect conscientious existence, living humbly according to your principles, and being consequential in the decisions you make. It's an homage to what I have learned from you, and an attempt at pushing on with determination to live our three score years and ten abundantly and pointedly, and with conviction. (Yet in a super relaxed, hessian, Birkenstock manner. With no pressure.)

What do I mean by the simple life? It's admirably ambiguous allowing me to do with it as I wish. Perfect. I imagine some kind of ideal where distractions are minimised and where time is spent on those things which are truly important - no matter how small they may be. I want to think about nature and our relation to it. I want to think about how we can be less caught-up in worrying and obssessing. I want to explore how I can be simpler in my relationships instead of over-analysing others and myself. I want to explore how I can be free of the confines of the constant barrage of technological stimulus, yet still appreciate, for example, this flexible and exciting way of communicating with people. I want to reignite my passion for books and value the time given to them. I want to consider how faith can be simplified, and how it too can be an advocate of simple, yet outward-looking living. I want to learn about sustainable living. I want to be inspired by music. I want to consider the effects of active living beyond the mere physical health benefits. I want to think about my family and friends and what I learn from and appreciate about them. I want to consider my job as a means of supporting this simple life - a job which daily forces me to grapple and wrestle with life which, for many, is in no way simple.

Essentially it's idealistic and esoteric. But I believe that taking the time to think and reflect will make future decisions spontaneously considered. We will make decisions based on our distilled, contemplated values which promote and protect that which is precious to us.

Coffee in the garden in my cup from Crail. A truly noble pursuit.

Thinking back to my insomniac epiphany a few months ago, I realise this is more likely to be a journey than a goal, and it will require more effort than I previously planned upon. But hopefully the journey creates energy and time and space rather than depletes them, like some other epitome of achievement which would require exponential effort to maintain once I had it. I hope you enjoy the recorded thoughts and feelings, and that they, in some small way, remind you of the importance of the simple life. 

Shorter, simpler posts to follow.