We sat in the hospital room uninterrupted in the wee hours of the morning talking about the journey of a love between two persons.
This woman was beginning a new journey into widowhood in the past thirty minutes and was younger than I. She remembered aloud a collage of stories on how they met, when they married, and the birth of their children. She talked about how they were made for one another, how their personalities complimented the other, and how their faith matured over the years. A few regrets were shared, hard times were briefly mentioned.
She pulled out a letter that she had handwritten to her husband a few days earlier. We sat by her beloved’s bedside, and though he could no longer hear her, she needed to read it to him line by line, pausing only to set her emotions free. It was a gratitude-filled letter about the journey.
Simpler living is about how we choose today, step by step. This experience reminded me so.
It is not about mastering the art of simplicity but rather asking, “Is this necessary?” “Will this set me free?” “How will this help others?” And more.
The more we live with less, we are more likely to discover our journey’s meaning.
Step by step, decision by decision–today, not someday.
Let’s walk this simpler journey together.
Malcolm,
As I have travelled this Lenten journey with you each day–and especially today–a quote I read sometime back just keeps popping up in my thoughts. The author of the quote is unknown to me; but, the quote is this: “Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have.” I look forward each day to your writing. Thank you.
Peace,
Edna
Edna,
Your observations and encouragement about this Lenten journey toward living more simply mean so much to me. Thank you. I love your quote. Thanks for sharing.
Peace,
Malcolm