My husband and I have been married for almost three years. From the beginning of our dating history, he’s always wanted to grant my smallest wishes. I’ve been impressed since our first date. We had gone out on a walk after a delicious meal and dessert, and we caught the wisps of cinnamon from a nut stand. I exclaimed that it smelled delicious and he asked me if I was ready for a snack. We were very full but he was authentic about it. I know that it was nothing, but he did not have to continue offering treats. I am happy to say that throughout our relationship, he’s kept it up. It might just be ice cream after my pizza was not the best and the baby had been fussy all day, yet his small actions mean a lot to me.
The good things in life don’t have a price tag .
The almost three years will turn to a full three next week. For any holidays or special dates, we always ask each other if there is something specific that we want. The last few times, we haven’t wanted anything very special, but we have been able to gift each other things that bring joy. In the same spirit, a few days ago we were having a conversation about our coming anniversary, and he stated that he didn’t really want anything. I softly said that we didn’t need to get anything; I didn’t want anything either. We decided to not buy gifts and just keep it at a date.
We have been in a road of simplicity since the early in our marriage. We still enjoy shopping yet now are more specific about it. We aren’t the best at it, but continue trying. Just enjoying each other’s company and sharing a meal, something we love doing, was exactly what we were looking forward to. Shopping just because we “should” was not something we wanted to continue doing. I was elated. It was a new feeling of sweet happiness. We were content with each other. The day didn’t need anything else but us to make it special.
In my life, contentment is like a friend from childhood you were very close to and life pulled you apart, yet once you get in contact, it is as if no time had passed. I grew up in a home where we were pushed to be ambitious but pushed even harder to do with what we had. We were to be grateful and acknowledge how blessed we were. So many people had to go without and here we were, enjoying abundance of some sort. In the race for growth, it is so easy to get distracted by big houses and promotions. More comes to signify success and above that, happiness. Lies.
For those who have food, safe living arrangements, insurance, and a working car, the happiness more money can bring is not as high as we may think. Like Peter Parker’s uncle said, “with great power, comes great responsibility.” Money can take us to a road of unnecessary complications. The items we may drool for require care. They may need maintenance or lead us to need space to put them in, which would then need more stuff to fill it, thus taking us in a vicious cycle. Money does not offer a worry-free life.
Please understand that I am not against wealth or enjoying your hard-earned money, and that I know that money provides some sort of security, but I believe that a lot of what we think that it will bring us, is an illusion. Let’s recognize that the good things in life don’t have a price tag on them. Money is an instrument to make life better and more comfortable, not to make it happy or perfect. Take time to appreciate what you already have available to you and give it the high place in your heart that it deserves.
Tell me, do you have an area in your life where you’ve come to the realization that you don’t need any more?
Thriving in Simplicity 