A Simple Kind of Life

I have been reading a book about leading a simple life. This life includes a small, but comfortable  home, one vehicle that is paid for, and experiences and memories that will last.

Why didn't I read this book when I was 27?

Here I sit and this book really has me thinking. Look at how much some of us work just to have "stuff." What are we truly sacrificing as a result? Aren't we missing those precious memories with the person we love and with our children? Our friends? Our families? Don't the hands of time fly by way too quickly on this clock of life?

I am working full time in a position that is not an ideal fit for me to pay off "stuff" and mistakes that I made in my past. Debt. Car loans. Student loans. I had to be the life of the party. I had to impress people. I had to have things in the moment, instead of thinking it through.

All of this, and now I just want to be home more with my family.

I feel like I made these mistakes in my past, and now it is affecting what I want out of life. I guess I could look at it that way, or else I could look at it as a lesson. I read today that mistakes are an opportunity to learn. This girl has learned her lesson, and I want this change for my future more than anything. It's been a lot of hard work, but I ultimately feel that it will be worth it.

I know everyone has their own beliefs on how to lead their lives, but I want to ask you to stop and think about one thing. Where could you cut back to make it possible to have more time with the people you love? I have realized that bigger houses, newer cars, and the latest toys don't replace closeness and relationships.

If you feel like the mistakes are too many and it is too late, I promise that it is not. It is a decision to make a change and do something about it. Today. Don't let life fly by in a blur; instead, embrace the slow motion moments and relationships that truly matter.

In the end, those relationships and moments are all we will have. Maybe, just maybe, we all want a simple kind of life.