Check out this Article in the Washington Post:

I just read a great article in the Washington Post about our excess "stuff" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/26/AR2010032603608.html. In the article it mentions that there is a new book out called "The Story of Stuff" by Annie Leonard. It sounds really good and it gets into where we get all our stuff from (globally) and where it all ends up and really examines our issues with excessive consumerism- especially as it relates to environmental impact. I'm excited to read the book since I haven't really discussed that aspect of my motivations for a year without buying. Since I'm not buying anything new, I'll have to rely on the public library system, which means waiting on a long list for it, but once I do read it, I'll post a review of it.

All About Sacrifice

Another month gone by… and now I have an infraction to report. I have rationalized it so that I don’t feel like it was a violation of my commitment, but my husband thinks it is. I’ll let you be the judge. A few days ago, I decided that the huge toy box spilling over with toys had to go. So, I donated half the toys, and will donate the box as soon as my kids are done playing hide in the box and jump out to surprise people. In order to simplify my home and keep things tidy, I decided I needed a bookshelf that would hold the books we have strewn about downstairs and also hold a couple of baskets for small toys to keep downstairs. This was, admittedly not a real need, just a desire of mine. While I was at the thrift store getting some jeans for my son, I saw a little solid wood bookshelf that would be perfect. I bought it for $5. This thing was in poor condition with masking tape all over it. I peeled that off and sanded it down and re-stained it. I figure that this is not a violation of the spirit of my resolution because I gave away, and reduced my material possessions before adding this one on, and I bought used, and not just a “find”- a used item that not many people would want and put work into it to make it nice again. It was purchased slightly on impulse and yes, I do have those happy feelings of something new that I wanted, but, I did sacrifice something I had to obtain it.


In this entry I would like to talk about sacrifices we make and how they affect our outlook on life. In my last entry I discussed in part, a problem our society today has with truly appreciating what we have. Of course, the question arises as to how exactly we can help ourselves and our children be grateful for what we do have. It seems to me that understanding of one thing comes from understanding its opposite. This is generally how we define things- especially abstract things. What is love?- it is not hate, or negative feelings, or apathy, it is the opposite. So, in order to appreciate what we have, we have to understand what it is not to have it. As I discussed before, in earlier days, it seemed like people appreciated what they had more because there was less of it. However, this certainly was not always the case I’m sure. If you think of many people raised in poverty while seeing wealth around them, they do not just appreciate what they have, they aspire to have what they do not have. This is a reasonable desire, especially if one’s needs are not being met. However, as I also pointed out earlier, this insecurity and desire for more will not end once the needs are met. Many people who have pulled themselves up out of poverty end up being very greedy and seeking for more and more- it is never enough to truly feel secure and satisfied. Of course there are a variety of personal attributes and philosophical impacts on an individual that can change this aspect of human nature, but basically, that is how it works. So, if someone who was once in poverty but then obtained wealth doesn’t necessarily appreciate what they have how does understanding what it is to have and what it is to not have cause one to appreciate? I believe it is a matter of conditions. In this time of plenty/overabundance, true appreciation will come when we willingly give up something we want in order to understand what it is to be without it. This should not be too surprising. Most religions have some tradition of sacrifice in which one is expected to do without something they are accustomed to enjoying for a certain period of time. Catholics can certainly understand this with their observance of Lent where one is expected to give up something they really like for 40 days. There is Ramadan, Passover, temporary or permanent vows of silence, celibacy and such. On the extreme end, there are those who choose to live the life of a monk or a nun. In my church, we fast for three consecutive meals once a month and then donate what we would have spent on that food to those in need. One goal of this as a religious experience is to show one’s willingness to give up anything for the sake of faith, but anyone who has gone through the experience with sincerity has most likely found that it sharpens the mind’s understanding of many things. Especially in the case of a sacrifice of something that is truly important to someone, it becomes so clear that we tend to attribute such importance to things that distract us from simplicity and truth. Much of the anxiety, fear, and misery we experience come from our belief in the need for one thing or another and our efforts to make sure we hold onto that thing or to obtain it. In certain times of my life, I have lost things that truly do seem important- a job even. But, I like to play worst case scenario, and not matter what- thanks to friends and family to support me, I find that even with the great loses and the possibility of losing more, I will always find a way to be okay. In absence of having such an experience happen to you, try to imagine what your life would be like without the many things in it. Start with possessions, and peel off all the layers, trying to imagine what you would do without this or that, think really hard, positively and honestly, and in the process you will come to the parts of your life that you honestly could not live without. Now, once you have found those parts, redirect your energy and resources to those things and forget about the rest. See how liberating it will be and how peaceful you will feel.

As I have gone without buying new things and attempted to understand the difference between being a typical consumer and instead a creator and reuser, I have come to see that what I have given up is not so essential to me. I can see that many of the things that I saw as needs before were really wants. Truly, all any human being needs is shelter, food, water, sleep, clothing and companionship. To really be a part of society, other things do become necessary so I don’t really advocate that stark of a lifestyle, but it can be liberating to occasionally simplify your life to that level. An easy way to do that is to go camping. I enjoy camping as an adult more than ever because sometimes I really need to separate myself from the tv, computer, phone, radio, and stuff that is normal life. I marveled when I first took my daughter camping- she was 2 and had never been good at going to bed at night, however, in the absence of artificial light and following the cues of nature, she went to bed shortly after dark with no complaint or trouble.

So, for Spring Break, I am going to take my kids camping and use this as an opportunity to wean them off of too much tv! Hopefully, when they go a few days without the option, they will come to realize that there are better things to do and they won’t be asking to watch tv all day. To anyone reading, I challenge you to pick something to temporarily sacrifice and let me know the impact it has on your life.