Voluntary Simplicity

So... we live pretty simply.

I know that if Alan accepted a job in mainstream O&G and worked a LOT more hours, we could have a bigger house. We could have a fancier car. We could go on cruises, have a larger TV and more mad money... but the thing is, we don't want to.

We want him to come home every night by six pm.

We want to have evenings to spend together.

I want to be home with my kids every day and to be the person who gets to see them grow and develop.

I want to have time to help people around me when they need it, rather than being so over-scheduled that I am physically or emotionally unable.

I know many wealthy people. Very few of them are as happy as we are in our tiny home with our sub-compact car and our vacations with family or in the mountains.

I see so many people buying, buying, buying...it almost seems like an attempt to feel happy and successful... but they don't seem to realise that happiness and success are not available for purchase.

Happiness and success are grown and nurtured in one's own home.

I spent this afternoon baking brownies with Parker. He loves to cook. Then we layed in the hammock and read some from the Spiderwick Chronicles.

We ate brownies rocked and laughed and I realised that no car or house or trip or "stuff" could make me feel as content and happy and successful as spending an hour rocking in a $20 hammock with my 6 year old.

To learn more about the Voluntary Simplicity movement, visit the link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_living