Saturday, July 28, 2007

Starting over


Last year I began a journey that proved more difficult than I had imagined. I wanted to step off of the consumerism highway. I wanted to explore new and untraveled paths. I wanted to reduce our footprint on this planet. Alas, my journey was not successful. And now, months later, I look around me and see that I am not happier. If anything, I feel more bogged down, more cluttered, and more stressed than ever.

I am returning to the journey. I am beginning again. I am so tired of being weighed down by "stuff". I am tired of my stuff owing me. I am also returning to compacting.

I thought about starting a brand new blog. A clean slate. No embarrassing failures right in print for all to see.

But then I decided not to do that. You see, I've actually been on the journey all along. I'm not where I'd hoped to be by this time. But I've learned and grown and now it is time to simply keep moving. Return to the goals that I had, maybe form some new ones. Make new friends, learn new things. Relax and continue to grow.

I'm committing myself to blog regularly. That will help to keep me focused on where I am going. I also commit to helping others who are on this journey with me, even if it is only with a supportive note or a helpful tip here and there. I will not look down on those who are moving "too slowly" on this path. Perhaps that is the biggest lesson of all from this time I've been absent from the blog. I am not better or more enlightened than other people. I need help and I need to help others. We're all in this together.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gavrielah,
Hi, thanks for stopping by my blog. As you can proably tell it's morphed into more of a personal thing rather than being focused on simplicity. Life just got a bit more busy and the simplicity focus faded. Our simplicity group disbanded and I started and ended my own compact. It was all good but then I went back to work and things got kinda crazy. I'm hoping the fall will get me thinking a bit more along those lines and my posts may reflect a bit more "calm". For me simplicity is mostly about INNER simplicity though I love and respect the other aspects of it as well.
Best of Luck on you journey,
Sara

Gavi said...

Thank you for coming over, Sara. How interesting that you would mention the idea of inner simplicity as that is exactly what I've been thinking about last night and this morning. I think that's why I didn't follow through before, because I wasn't looking for that inner simplicity that I now realize is so important. It is also what will take much more work for me.

I think your blog is great and I look forward to keeping up with it.

Take care,
Gavi

Jenny said...

I'm glad to see you blogging again and entering the journey again. I think we get too hung up on succeeding/failing that we ultimately forget that it's the journey that counts with all its hurdles and bumps.

Anonymous said...

I wish you all the best as you begin your Compacting journey once again and I look forward to seeing where your journey takes you.