Comments on: Minimalism and Simplicity https://anitamathias.com/2013/02/06/minimalism-and-simplicity/ Anita Mathias's Blog on Faith and Art Thu, 14 Nov 2013 00:59:50 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 By: Anita Mathias https://anitamathias.com/2013/02/06/minimalism-and-simplicity/#comment-19197 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:14:00 +0000 http://anitamathias.com/blog/?p=41823#comment-19197 In reply to Barbara Anne Waite.

Thanks, Barbara.
“they ate venison, wild pig, fish, quail, squirrel, occasionally beef from a friend for protein. They dried apples, canned apples and other fruits and vegetables.”
That sounds like a lot of work, however, perhaps it was more soul-feeding and life-giving than the things which currently take up our time–facebook, twitter, email, buying, returning, TV, newspapers. I guess their work gave them time to think–and even to pray if they were Christians, whereas ours takes up our time to think and pray…

]]> By: Anita Mathias https://anitamathias.com/2013/02/06/minimalism-and-simplicity/#comment-19196 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:11:00 +0000 http://anitamathias.com/blog/?p=41823#comment-19196 In reply to Stephanie Lynn Stevens.

Yes, Stephanie. You’ve thought it out so well–I am just beginning to.
I feel so weighed down and dragged down in my twice weekly session of decluttering and tidying–once before the cleaner comes, and once because I have a weekly blog project to tidy and declutter an area of my house, that I find myself longing for simplicity, beauty and order–Shaker like loveliness. I guess it will only come step by step.
Thanks much for you comment

]]> By: Barbara Anne Waite https://anitamathias.com/2013/02/06/minimalism-and-simplicity/#comment-19195 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:36:00 +0000 http://anitamathias.com/blog/?p=41823#comment-19195 Thought provoking post. I am working on my second book about my grandmother Elsie. This one will cover her life when she lived on an apple ranch /resort from 1918-1924. I was struck by their self-sufficiency. Perhaps it is the simplicity of her life that strikes me as something we have lost. It will show how they ate venison, wild pig, fish, quail, squirrel, occasionally beef from a friend for protein. They dried apples, canned apples and other fruits and vegetables. There was little they bought from the store. There seemed to be a satisfaction and peace that went along with all the work involved in all this food preparation. Elsie’s three years spent in Arizona displayed a different simplicity of life. No running water, electricity or stores, yet so much she found joy in. Her diary describes time to read and time to visit. Simplicity had some rare benefits that we have set aside in our progress. I do not want to go back to days without electricity or running water but simplicity sounds satisfying.

]]> By: Stephanie Lynn Stevens https://anitamathias.com/2013/02/06/minimalism-and-simplicity/#comment-19194 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:28:00 +0000 http://anitamathias.com/blog/?p=41823#comment-19194 Yes.  We’re in a time of “forced simplicity.”  We had to leave our home and belongings because of toxic mold in our house.  It’s been both hard and very freeing.

I love the differentiation between minimalism and simplicity.  For a little while I thought they were the same, but I couldn’t become comfortable with the idea of minimalism.  My goal is to have enough for what we need and some of what we want.  To not find our happiness in stuff.  I want my family to be comfortable and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.  But if life snatches those things away can I still find joy, you know? 

I think minimalism is a sort of secular asceticism.  And that’s clearly not a Jesus thing.

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