Thought for the Day from Karla's Korner: Keep It Simple

Thought for the Day

Keep It Simple…

This past week marked the end of another school year at my school which means I have sent another group of used to be three year olds onto pre-kindergarten and I am preparing for a new class for the summer session to begin almost immediately. As moving up approached I began to feel a twinge of sadness because I”ve grown pretty attached to these kids and am sad to see them go. This year has not only been filled with a lot of learning but also a lot of fun.

As I write this I have just returned from the second of two student’s birthday parties I attended this weekend. This party was quite simple, out in the country at a private pond where the kids could play by the water on a man-made beach filled with sand or fish on the dock. As I stood on the dock taking pictures and watching the group of mostly little girls holding fishing poles patiently waiting for a fish to bite and giggle at one another I wished that I could be in that frame of mind again; to laugh and giggle at the simplest of things without worry would be such a great change of pace.

When I was a little girl my family lived on a chicken farm. We lived in an old house without central air and no heat in the upstairs; my bedroom was upstairs. Life was simple. We had what we needed, we took care of what we had and a trip to McDonald’s was a treat. There were no cell phones, computers, and iPods, Nintendo, Xbox or PlayStation. We rode bikes, played kickball, football, softball and did our chores without expecting to get paid. Life was simple.

Today as I sit in my big air conditioned home filled with electronic gadgets, televisions, video games and a coffee maker in my bedroom (don’t judge) I find it difficult to imagine my life without all of the “stuff” that I seem to need. What has happened to that small town country girl from so long ago? In talking to my son about this he assures me that it’s progress and that I should be thankful for it. And while I enjoy having a fresh cup of coffee at the press of a button next to my bed, is it really necessary? If I were completely honest I my answer would be no, however, I’ve come quite accustomed to having it and would have a difficult time giving it up. I’ve left the casino simple stuff behind.

Can life ever be simple? I believe that life can be simple even with all of the conveniences we have available. Taking time to be still and unplug from the world around us can be quite daunting to those who are attached to the digital world. I for one am more than guilty of being connected way too much. But what would happen if I turned off my phone, unplugged my computer and just went outside and sat down and breathed? Would the world stop spinning? Would my life fall apart? Would my family be distressed? No, no and no. What could happen, however, is that I might find a bit of peace in my relatively hectic world and get to know me a little better.

In my growing up years my momma always had a big meal cooked every evening for supper. When I got married I thought that I had to fix a big supper every evening too. When my kids were born I tried to be that super mom who washed, scrubbed, vacuumed and cooked on a daily basis. Now, twenty years later I realize that what my kids really needed was me; that’s it. I realize now that I wasted so much time and energy on the unnecessary things when I really should have been spending time with my kids playing and giggling at silly things.

In the past several years my family and I have learned to enjoy one another and leave out the unnecessary. Big meals are often replaced with hot dogs and chips or even a bowl of cereal or cold sandwich. We find that sitting outside on the deck listening to the birds and sharing the events of our days or more satisfying than a big meal. As much as I regret the time wasted, I appreciate the lesson learned and work toward keeping things more simple from now on. Life is precious and is meant to be enjoyed. As I sat on the dock watching a daddy help his two little girls fish and laugh as they baited their hooks and waited for a “nibble” I was thankful for their time together in simplicity and reminded of its importance in our lives. Famed author and professor John Kabat-Zinn focuses once said “Voluntary simplicity means going fewer places in one day rather than more, seeing less so I can see more, doing less so I can do more, acquiring less so I can have more.” I encourage you to look for simplicity in your own life with your own family; after all time doesn”t stand still.

Peace,
Karla

I think we all need a touch point a place we can go to be inspired. Karla is my children’s teacher, a good friend, and a person with a heart of gold. I hope that her words will inspire you to do more. We are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with. It is important to listen with your heart and proceed with your eyes open. Enjoy!

Check out all of Karla”s Korner articles for more thought for the day here. Also, please visit Karla”s Lifetime Moms page and read her articles.

Topic: Thought for the Day