I plan to start out the new year with a zero spending month (even though e's birthday is in january, i think i can pull that off with what we have around and some creative substituting).
Last year, we turned our house into a circus tent and had family join us for her big day. A couple of days ago she informed me that we had royally messed up her birthday last year. Instead of a circus party, we should have done a Tangled party (i am not even sure the movie was released at that time).
This comment, in the context of a wake of ingratitude and sassy talk, has tempted me to box up everything and ditch it. I mean everything. Like leave 10 outfits per person to cover the myriad of occasions that come up, 5 toys per kid, of course leave all my kitchen stuff (hypocrisy at it's finest, eh?) and fabric and donate or sell the rest.
Even the antique grand piano may be on notice.
That's bit extreme (right?!), but it has me thinking.
I may possibly extend the spend nothing month to month and hit a whole year (awed nod to Camilla at acandiedapple.blogspot.com for her 2011 effort in this regard). We'll see.
I can forsee having to make exceptions for technology needs for our growing business (voicesindependent.com), building supplies for projects around the farm, and traveling to visit family.
But, there is this desire welling up in me to shake the materialism and simply make do.
Why not make a goal to read a book every week like my admirable and ambitious dear friend, Betsey? Why not?
Anyway, that's kinda what's brewing in my brain these days.
Simplify.
Conserve resources.
Read.
Live in gratitude.
Be happy.
Last weekend I was able to go to DC to be with my favorite people. The experience connected me to a part of me that has been lost for some time. I felt happiness and peace, a spiritual feast of clarity.
And you know what?
I didn't need to buy anything.
I am happy surrounded by ambition, creativity, goodness, interesting people, and variety.
Now to bring all that into my quiet farm world in the west.
h christmas 2010
e on our thankful porch 2011
Oh do it! I do a spending fast in February, so if you get through January on your own I'll do my best to motivate through our spend free month of February. And by the end of February you'll be in the habit and it will be easy!
ReplyDeleteyou are amazing! done and done.
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