- Lao Tzu, via becoming minimalist
Yesterday I finally had a chance to try out my "new" (used) vacuum. Our old one broke and the living room floor was speckled with ground-up Kix and Cheerios. I had my son help me clean up every. little. tiny. toy. off the rug, in exchange for promising to let him help vacuum. (Yes, you are jealous!)
After we were all done, he spontaneously broke out in a flailing, improv happy dance and I did the same. Then the dog ran in the room and seeing all the WIDE OPEN SPACE, dropped and rolled on his back in glee. None of the THINGS in my house were the inspiration for this joy, rather, it was the LACK OF THINGS and the SPACE. The joy came from my family.
Again last night I was reminded of this when my husband and I both tucked my son into bed with some stories. He just recently graduated from a crib to a twin-size bed (with a rail) and all three of us were snuggled in there together, not at all cramped, but very comfortable. My son's room is by far the cleanest in the entire house, and one of the biggest, and it had cooled down so even the windows and curtains were wide open, and I just felt like I had everything I needed right there in that 18+/- square feet of bed. Not that I'd want to sleep that way on a regular basis, but I was filled with so much joy over my family and the simplicity of the moment and the lack of any material items contributing to that joy.
I have so much. And when I get rid of most of it, I'll have so much more.
