My uncle S. on the farm in the 1950s, back in the days when living simply meant you got up before dawn to milk the cows.
By Magdalena I. García
The January/February issue of Horizons, the magazine for Presbyterian Women, centers on the topic of simplicity. Needless to say, most women—and men—with crowded agendas and little time for relaxation crave a little simplicity. But how does one achieve such a goal? And who’s got time to add simplification to the already mile-long list of to-dos?
Regardless, I took a few minutes to scan the magazine, and my eyes fell on some catchy phrases: holistic discipleship, enough for everyone, downsizing and focusing, connections to others, locally produced, responsible consumers, fair trade, purchasing power…. There is enough there to sell readers on the benefits of simple living, along with soothing images of tranquil settings. But don’t let the marketing approach fool you: simple is not always easy.
This reminds me of the simple way my ancestors used to get hormone-free milk on the farm in Cuba. My father remembers how he would simply get up at 3:00 a.m. to round up the cows, so that his older brother could milk them in time for the 5:00 a.m. pick up. I guess I’m not ready to simplify my life that much. I’ll take pasteurized milk from a carton at 7:00 a.m.
This also reminds me of an old saying I saw years ago, stitched and framed, hanging on the wall at a friend’s house: “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” I guess I’m not ready to simplify my life that much either. I prefer “Give it up, toss it out, get it new, or shop around.”
So the moral to the story seems to be that no matter how much we try to butter up the subject (no commercial substitutes, please), there is nothing hip or chic about living simply, unless you’re into the retro look. But those of us who live in the First World must try to simplify our lifestyle, so the majority of people in our world can at least say that they are simply living.
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