Publisher’s Points to Ponder: Waiting Until Dawn
After reading The New York Times best-seller, “Everything that Remains: A Memoir” written by Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, I rediscovered the true meaning of life. Millburn and Nicodemus are known as “The Minimalists” who travel around the globe to usher in the concept of living a meaningful life with less stuff. These two men believe there is life without the stuff.
I decided to take Millburn’s lead by walking through my home to see how much space I use every day. I was surprised to learn that I spend most of my time in only two rooms. On some days, I never walk into the other rooms. It is possible that a small family could be living in my home without my knowledge. This self-imposed realization intensified my obsession with the HG Television series “Tiny House Nation.”
Next, the authors discuss how they discarded the bulk of their material possessions as they embarked on a journey to a simplistic way of life. I will admit that I was one of those people who associated happiness with stuff. I thought if I surrounded myself with the things I’ve worked hard for, I would somehow find peace and satisfaction. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the stuff I’ve acquired did not fill the void. This past weekend, I got rid of as much “stuff” as I could without having an anxiety attack. I am still a work in progress.
While researching what it means to be a minimalist, I came across Jimmy Carter’s “Confidence of Crisis” speech that he delivered on national television 40 years ago. At the time of President Carter’s speech, he was entering his fourth year as president and was dealing with high inflation coupled with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) crisis. His chilling words about consumerism are easy to associate with our purchasing power in 2019 as we make plans to take advantage of acquiring more stuff during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. The president said our consumption of things does not satisfy our desire to live a meaningful life. “In a nation that was proud of hard work, strong families, closeknit communities and our faith in God, too many of us now worship self-indulgence and consumption.” Ouch! The authors took action on President Carter’s message and walked away from their corporate jobs and six-figure annual salaries. Unfortunately, I am not quite ready to walk away from income that I depend on for survival. However, I am willing to become more mindful about my spending habits.
While I agree with some of the opinions of many of the minimalists I am observing during this exciting endeavor, I do not agree that my “stuff” has been a distraction and a weight that diminishes my purpose in life. Perhaps I am in denial. Nevertheless, I am taking small steps to live a minimalistic life. In the spirit of the adage, “There is strength in numbers,” I challenge our readers to plunge into this new terrain with me. You can start by biking to work with me. Currently, my new bike is in my living room. I was crippled with nostalgia about childhood as I walked briskly past the bike to my car. One day soon, I will park the car and ride the bike because less is indeed more. Can I really do this? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook/Olney Enterprise.