Well, shit.
Just found out some news that kind of derails my epiphany.
Cold Mountain time. I need to go live under a cliff.
Seriously: I was talking to someone this evening about the number of people I know who live -- very simply, but live nonetheless -- without working or at least with working very little. I'm not talking about freeloaders or panhandlers. I'm talking about people you have arranged their personal lives so that they've been able to escape the rat race.
Some have retirement income, others have other forms of income. Still, I wonder how they all do it and if I could pull it off myself.
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By eliminating manicures, jewelry and other unnecessary social "props and costumes" (although I did have 5 red wigs at one time - but those brought me a lot of JOY), dry cleaning, knick knacks and paddywhacks, unessessarily large living spaces, eating out 95% of the time (in restuarants that are basically poison), not giving into every little thing I see at a checkout stand, not feeling pressured to give an expensive white-bread gift to a couple I knew would be divorced in 6 months and having a little consumer common sense (HINT: No trendy clothes) I think I added it up one time and I am about 4 lifetimes of free time ahead of a typical 46-year old American citizen. People make fun of me and resent me. While they are writing the check to the credit card company (minimum payment) I am enjoying my book I had the patience to wait for until the library had it and sipping on my hot water and lemon. (Hot water and lemon is a wonderful substitute for expensive Starbucks coffee all the time. It's a great detox for your liver and very comforting. If it is good enough for Pearl Buck it's good enough for me. No caffiene, feels good, tastes good, all around a good thing to practice mindfulness with and to cut down on expensive coffee habits. Then, when you do go for a coffee it is so fun!)
So there is my sermon for the day. Most people will not get it. Sometimes I am defensive; most of the time I am just happy I have the day off.
Good luck in your quest for simplicity.
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