Minimalism = Less stuff = Less worries = Freedom
On February 27th, after Chile's earthquake and during the tsunami watch, I read this Tweet from Leo Babauta,
"Guam's on tsunami alert. I live nearly at sea level, 1/4 mile from beach, so may head hillward. Luckily have no possessions I care about."
I stopped and stared at it for a moment, really understanding, maybe for the first time, what it means to be a minimalist. It is not just about having less things. It is about not caring about things (the things you have, the things you don't have). It is about being able to live and function and be happy with whatever you have or don't have, wherever you happen to find yourself.
It is really all about freedom.
I sat for a moment reading Leo's words over and over again: "Luckily I have no possessions I care about". How many of us can say that? I know that I can't. I'd like to. I'm working on it. But -- truth be told -- I'm not there yet.
The fact is, the more I get rid things of the more I value the possessions that I keep. I don't want to care about them but I do. I'd much rather not care and not have the worries, but I haven't quite figured out how to or how not to, yet. I'd like to not lock my door because I don't have anything to steal; or if something got stolen, I wouldn't care about it. I'd love to have empty shelves and not have to dust. I'd celebrate being able to have a minimal wardrobe and not have think about style. I'd savor the chance to have a real "no fuss" hairdo. I relish the chance to get into shape and form healthier habits so that I don't have to fumble around with medicine bottles and worry about when my prescriptions are due to be filled.
I believe in all of this, and I'm working on it, but its a long and winding path.
I don't think there is an endpoint called "minimalism". It is a path, or a journey. One that we must take slowly, thoughtfully and carefully. One that must be enjoyed along the way, knowing that the journey itself has value. It is a path on which we meet many other people -- all in different places, with different values, and different ideas. All of these people may consider themselves to be working on minimalism. Their minimalism may look different than your minimalism or my minimalism. No one is right or wrong, better or worse.
All of a sudden, as I sit here writing this post I can't get Janis Joplin out of my head. She keeps singing the same line over and over again. "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose..." The song is getting louder and louder, clearer and clearer.
Sunday, March 7, 2010 at 3:51PM
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Reader Comments (3)
That's so true! I am on the path myself, and am slowly working my way in the right direction. I had the SAME thoughts you did about that tweet!!!! Happy Sunday!
Hi Christine,
Thank you for this post. I was particularly struck by these words: "It is a path, or a journey. One that we must take slowly, thoughtfully and carefully. One that must be enjoyed along the way, knowing that the journey itself has value." These could apply to so many things, couldn't they? And you're so right: it Is important to appreciate the journey itself, whatever the destination.
Thank you, again. I'm glad to have read this post at this moment.
This was one of those lucky accidents. I stumble here after checking another blog, and Oh! I'm just passing for a process of cleaning up my life and getting rid of all the unnecesary. I live in Chile, in Santiago, and while my house had no damages, I've watched all the people that lost everything and I realise that, when everything happened, I worried about my family, not my tv or my pc, or dvds and books, and tiny knick knacks. Since then I began to unclutter. It's quite something to feel that, if you get rid of stuff, you feel lighter. Now I see things from another angle, enjoy the little moments with my loved ones and life keeps moving on. I don't worry that much about stuff.