Falling with style

This isn't flying, its falling...with style!

~Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story

I love that line. The kids and I laugh our heads off every time we get to the 2 parts in the movie where it is said.

I've been thinking lately, that in some ways my journey to a simpler life really does reflect this. In many ways its been a journey of falling and learning how to make do creatively. Sometimes I've fallen because I jumped (to get away from so much stuff) - sometimes I've fallen because I let go (of expectations of how I should buy my way through life) - sometimes I've fallen because I was pushed. :)

When I was buying and living a high consumer lifestyle, I know that I enjoyed the highs that went with it - the high of acquiring the latest and newest. I know that many would look at what I do now and what I have and would see it as a fall from society's high standards of living.

But I don't see my fall as a sacrifice...or even that I am now living a lower standard of life. In fact, I would see it that I am much more empowered now. I am not burdened with stuff and the physical and mental cost associated with having that stuff.

Perhaps its because I have done it (for the most part) slowly. Little steps that led me to learn valuable skills and, with practice, learned that it is possible for me to be creative in finding alternative ways to meet our needs. Some of those skills are the traditional skills - like cooking and sewing. Some skills are just an enhancement of what I already had - an understanding of how to save money. And some skills are ones that came as a surprise - like learning to find things second-hand, learning how to relate to others without buying and learning how to give and receive help from others that doesn't involve money.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying my fall and yes, sometimes its clumsy but slowly, I am finding "my style". I'm getting there.

Autumn leaves refusing to fall... Photo taken by Miss J