I recently watched a documentary entitled "Minimalism: A Documentary about the Important Things." The documentary "examines the many flavors of minimalism by taking the audience inside the lives of minimalists from all walks of life—families, entrepreneurs, architects, artists, journalists, scientists, and even a former Wall Street broker—all of whom are striving to live a meaningful life with less" (www.minimalism film.com). "Minimalism" follows 2 friends who left high paying jobs and downgraded to travel around the country with the basics to talk about what made them leave their lives of comfort.
I struggle with living with the bare minimum. This year has challenged me to live with the least amount of items that I need to survive. I will admit that going on retreats where we take the train versus an airplane I pack more than I need to. But, when it comes to every day living, i have a quarter of the amount of clothes (and shoes) that I did in the United States. I have 2 plates, 2 forks, 2 spoons, 2 knives. Until January, I didn't have a toaster (i didn't need one). I don't have two fans blowing on me at night. But, I have everything I need. I have a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, and I never go hungry. Back in March, I was lucky enough to see my parents for the second time. They came to see Hungary before we headed to Norway to see my brother. While in Norway, I got to talking to my brother about traveling. In lieu of Christmas or Birthday presents, he wanted to travel, to learn more about the world, and to better understand different cultures. He wanted memories, not things. At 20 years old, my baby brother humbled me. I realised that making memories was more important than the things that I collected. As I start to whittle down what I am bringing back to the United States, I realise that I don't need to keep every single piece of paper to remember my time in Hungary. I have the memories of my time here. Through God and my community, I have everything I need.
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Elaina JohnsonI am from a town on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin. I grew up in Hudson, WI, where I had the privilege of returning after graduating from Winona State University with a degree in Therapeutic Recreation. Archives
December 2016
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