A Simplified Life
Family at Jackson's Orchard
I was talking with someone the other day about my ability to work at Kaleidoscope without compensation. She was very confused… how could Beth and I support ourselves if I was only working minimal hours a week at a low rate and us practically living on a teacher’s salary. It was easy I told her… we live simply. We drive old cars, don’t buy new clothes, have a modest house and save our money. Unfortunately these simple exercises are entirely foreign to too many people.
In the last year our take home income has decreased by over 30% and we have a new member in the family. At the same time, our savings have gone up and “happiness” has significantly increased. In the last year, my primary job has gone from full time to part time to very part time to no time. Instead of stressing about money, we have actually been able to give more and save more. In fact, since Mikayla has been born, our monthly expenses have continued to drop.
What accounts for this? Have we fired our butler? Have we sold off hidden assets? Have we joined a commune?
Not at all… we have just continued to re-evaluate our priorities and moved towards a simplified life. Time with family is more important than extravagant vacations. Food from the garden is better than eating out. New clothes are not needed when you aren’t trying to impress people who do not even care about you in the first place.
Sure we don’t drive the nicest cars (when they run), and Lord knows we don’t have the slickest attire. We aren’t on everyone’s “Who’s Who” list and we don’t get to experience the newest greatest things, BUT…
We are as happy as we have ever been, we stress less, and the time we spend with family and friends outweighs any possession or experience one could buy. I regularly wake up excited about what the day holds and not worried about what I have to get done. Those things are priceless.
There is no way I could go back to the rat-race of life. In only people knew the peace and happiness that comes from a path of downward mobility…. There is a reason that Jesus told his followers to sell all they have to give to poor. It is not so that the poor can be liberated, but so that the wealthy can.
Ben…a great read! Kari and I face a lot of uncertainty in our future in the next year or so as we debate the values of starting a family, getting out/staying in the military, moving, etc. Yet at the same time, we’re more at peace right now in the midst of these things than we’ve ever been during more “secure” times.
It’s good to hear that a friend has done it and IS doing it. Thanks for the encouraging perspective. 🙂
Hey i totally agree with you on this we not only have 1 kid we just added another wonderful family member and we are both not working at the time my husband is drawing his unemployment but we are happy.. Happier actually than we were when we did have the money comming in Money doesnt make a relationship and the world doesnt revolve around it the world actually revolves around love and friendship i couldnt tell u the last time i had new clothes… I buy when we have the money for our kids and sometimes we buy ourselves something but usually we end up putting what we got for our selves back and buying for either Dakota or the new baby. So kirk i understand where your comming from totaly.
I could not agree more, Ben.
true dat! this our motto too, although somedays its more of a struggle than others.
This is one of my favorite posts you’ve written, actually. While Brittany and I have a long way to go, we certainly realize more and more everyday that defining success for yourself is an important part of life…
Scratch that.
Defining success for yourself is an essential part of a happy life.