Simple Gifts

Sometimes life gives me a theme and it keeps reappearing until I embrace it. I think the theme I am hearing and seeing now is to live simply. I've been working on this for some time. I don't think a simple life is ever checked off a list, but rather an ongoing life of practice. And the practice continues. I've had a few great reminders over the past weeks!

In my writing class, our facilitator brought in Aaron Copland's music called Appalacian Spring. The Shaker hymn Simple Gifts is woven into the middle of this piece and it's just SO beautiful. You can listen to the section of Simple Gifts from Appalacian Spring here and listen to the Voices of Liberty sing the words here.

On Saturday, I attended a clothing swap. These fun events are great ways to let go of clothes (the extras are given to a thrift store that raises money for a local social service agency) and to pick up a few treasures. All at no cost. I have always found a temptation or two, but I make it a rule to bring home less than I take! The conversation, food and friendship at these events are uplifting.

At church yesterday, our minister spoke about living simply. She read this quote:

"We take delight in things;

we take delight in being loosed from things.

Between these two delights,

we must dance our lives."

--Phillip Harnden

Then we sang simple gifts.

Today, I flipped to my May calendar and here's what I read:

"It is always the simple that produces the marvelous."

-- Amelia E. Barr

OK, I'm listening. I'm practicing. Yes, the best of life is simple.