Focus and Simplify
Focus and Simplify.
Two words that have consistently caught my attention
these past few years of living life with God. Knowing Him more gave me a
different perspective about life that surprised me in many ways.
I learned that the more I simplified my life and
focused on living, the less it seems I need.
What does it mean to simplify and focus on
living? It’s a shift from caring about possessions and status and ambitions and
beautiful temporary things… to caring about actual life.
Life includes: taking long walks, creating
things, helping people help themselves, having conversation with friends,
snuggling with my wife, playing with my kids Ryah and Rafa, eating simple food,
going outside running and getting active.
That had been, for me, living. Not impulse
buying, or watching TV, or eating loads of greasy and sweet food not for
sustenance but for unrequired pleasure, or staying too long on the Internet, or
earning more money, or trying to get popular. Those things aren’t living –
they’re consumerist pastimes that tend to get us caught up in overconsumption
and mindlessness.
When I focus on living, all those other fake
needs become less important. Why do I need television when I can go outside and
get active, or take a walk with a loved one? Why do I need to shop when I
already have everything I need – health and wellness of myself and my loved
ones, provision for my family, time spent with them, a word processor and
editor, a way to post what I create, a good book, simple food, a few clothes
for warmth, and the outdoors.
We’ve cut out cable TV from our lives since
January 2010, and lo and behold our family is still alive, closer and
more bonded than ever before.
I began running again since August 2010, and
I’ve dropped to 150 lbs from a flabby 180 lbs. I need to go down 8 to 10 pounds
more.
I started eating healthy food and acquiring
healthy habits and my blood sugar went back to normal levels from being
pre-diabetic.
I started paring down my wardrobe and
possessions, and our home had been more spacious and clutter-free, a relaxing
haven after a whole day of contributing to the world.
I spend more time with the ones I love and
create more, and I need very little to do that.
And needing little but getting lots of
satisfaction… that’s immensely fulfilling. It has given more meaning to my life
that I’ve never experienced before.
And it’s all because of my God who taught me how
to focus and simplify, and who opened my eyes to life’s essentials.
Comments
Post a Comment