Simplicity Thoughts

The idea I picked up on from the packet was that simplicity is to keep a clear and concise manner. The idea was having a cleared mind and letting yourself reflect upon life and not worry about the franticness of life. When I think of simplicity this is often what comes to mind; allowing ourselves to take a break and look around at what our lives look like. Wisdomcommons.org says, “Simplicity means centering on that which is important and letting go of the rest.” In this day and age life is crazy and has a lot going on. This makes it important to stop and think about what really matters.

I picked up on this mostly because I felt I could connect to it. I’ve noticed a lot more now that I’m getting older that a moment to stop and think is precious. I feel as though sometimes I have too much going on and too many thoughts running through my head that I just need to step aside from where I am and think. I did this in Bear Creek quite a few times, where I simply sat or walked by myself and thought of what my life was like and what I could do to better create happiness. I found these times helpful and needed. I learned that simplicity is not only about simple objects; but simple moments.

When I first thought about simplicity in our school it didn’t make sense to me. We were getting new things all the time and it’s hard to get children to think simply. Learning more about it, I realized there was something that just a moment of silence could bring that made a room peaceful. Duane Elgin, author of a book about simplicity states, “Soulful simplicity is more concerned with consciously tasting life in its unadorned richness…” This illustrates that simplicity is the ability to look around and enjoy the life around you. Simplicity to me is the chance to stop, think, and breathe.

What I Believe

I believe in the beauty of life and that our happiness is in our own hands. I believe that being yourself can create this happiness, whether people approve of who you are or not. I believe in fate however, where we choose our own road to follow but are unable to choose the road blocks ahead. The first time I experienced realizing the real, true beauty of life was on the Ben Franklin Bridge, coming back from the shore when I was 11. It was night time and lights of Philadelphia flashed past. As I looked out my window, I felt something pass over me. It was a feeling where I just saw beauty in each light and realized how absolutely lucky I was to be alive and living the fantastic life I was living. The feeling actually even brought a tear from my eye; it was one of those completely sappy moments no one wants to admit. However, at that point nothing inspired me more than the beautifully lit city.

From a young age I learned the following lesson: you are who you are, and there is no one or nothing that can change that. Being a dancer, I had to deal with a bunch of taunts and remarks from my classmates who at the time were unable to look past their beliefs and into mine. No doubt the things they said got me down, and made me feel absolutely crappy, but I learned that I was being myself and that's all I wanted to do. At the time, me being strong and taking what people said but not analyzing it gave me the ablitily to be who I am, and no one could ask for more.

I think my mom has to do with a lot of my beliefs. When I was having hard times with kids in my grade she was the one to give me advice and tell me just to be myself and nothing more. She never forced a belief on me but instead taught me the value in one's self. There is a broad influential group of people who have shaped my beliefs: disease patients. It seems slightly weird but whenever I see someone I know battling a life terminating disease I think, if there really is a God, that people pray to, why would he allow people to die painful deaths? Now I also believe that people have the right to believe in whatever they want, but this did make me think. I decided that whether there is a God or not, fate determines people's "road blocks."

In my life so far, I have not had any experiences in which my beliefs have changed, but I have had situations where I had to test myself with my beliefs and realize that sometimes it's easier said than done. Whether what I believe is to change in the future (which I'm sure it will) or not, I will still have something to believe in and that right there gives me the oppurtunity to be whoever I want to be.