Simplify, Simplify…

More than a century after Henry David Thoreau spoke these words, his message has more meaning than ever. Here in the US, we work hard and play hard, filling nearly every possible moment with one activity or another. We are in overload and I for one don't like where it's heading! In a society that tells us we need to have more, work more, be more, I've decided I want to be an underachiever. What's wrong with have less, work less & be less? Why shouldn't I want to get rid of the excess so I can spend time with people I love and have time to do the things I love?

So as I sit and contemplate how I will achieve this voluntary simple life, I am reminded of the place that's exemplifies simplicity - Siberia. Life in Angarsk, Siberia, is the perfect example of living with less - a life that reminds me of the one I knew as a kid.

Here at home, if I want to buy a pair of jeans for example, I have a mall, 2 shopping plazas and at least a half dozen department stores within a 2 mile radius. The choices are endless, and I'll likely spend an entire day driving from store to store, until I finally find just the right pair that I can't live without. Ironically, within 2 months I will absolutely hate them and shortly thereafter I will donate them to the local Goodwill and then spend another day finding a replacement. If I am in Angarsk and want to buy a pair of Jeans, I walk to the one place that sells them, choose from 3 or 4 pair, and pick one. I can leave the apt. at 9 and be home by 10 - including the time it takes me to walk to the store both ways... Groceries? I don't know about you all, but shopping for groceries here is a half-day venture. I make the list, check it twice, grab the coupons I'll need, get JR into his car seat, put the dog in his kennel, drive away (without the list and coupons, of course) park the van, spend 20 minutes stalking other parents with one of the coveted "car" shopping carts kids love til I find someone who no longer needs theirs, get JR into the cart, go up the first aisle, take JR to the bathroom, shop another 4 aisles, take JR back to the bathroom, do another 4 aisles, argue with JR for 10 minutes over the fact that there is no way he has to go to the bathroom again, finish shopping, find the shortest line which, naturally turns out to the be the one with the longest wait, pay for it all, spend 10 minutes loading all the bags into the van, drive home and spend another 10 minutes unpacking the van and then another 30 minutes putting everything away. Total time from the first "JR, get your shoes on so we can go grocery shopping" til the last package of crackers is put away, 4 hours. In Russia, without a car, one shops 4 or 5 times a week in the corner store that is no larger than a Mini-Mart. You take a minute to make your list, remember to bring it with you on your walk to the store, grab the 8 to 10 items you wanted, walk back home, put them away and you're done. Elapsed time; 25 minutes. Of course toys are the big one. You want to buy your child a toy, you walk to the store with him, chose from a half-dozen toys suitable for his age/interest, pay, carry it home, and spend time playing with him. At home, a trip to Toys 'R Us takes hours - days even. V-tech or Leapfrog? This years model or last? Do I want the cosmic green or the radical red? Do I want the Junior version, new version, travel version, commemorative or Spanish Version? And which wooden train set is better - Brio, Thomas the Tank, Imaginarum or generic. Absolutely mind boggling and 2 hours into the venture, you totally forget WHAT you were looking for in the in first place. And holidays - gimme the Russian holidays ANY time. Cap is lucky to get Christmas day off, yet in Russia, the government gives all citizens at least 10 days to celebrate? While half the population is buying 1/2 price wrapping paper on 26 December in the US, the day after Orthodox Christmas in Russia is spent visiting grandparents in the village, or sledding down the elaborate ice slides in the park on Lenin Street.

Yep, I'm conviced its time to make it a priority to simplify and there is no time to wait. If I want to get rid of the clutter I have to start paring away now. And just as soon as I can figure out how to live a life without my Dunkin' Donuts Mocha Swirl Lattes, I think I'll be in really good shape....