Enriched Living
I read an amazing article a dear friend forwarded me.
You can read it here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/opinion/24kristof.html?sudsredirect=true
Reading this article reminds me of the importance of living an enriched life, with less materialistic items and more intangible items. Over the past few years, having downsized from a house, I’ve learn to live with much less. I admit, being an ex-shopaholic, it was difficult to donate as much as I have. It’s nice to think of the positive impact those excess items are having, in the lives of others. Granted my donations have consisted of clothes and shoes, but it’s something.
How much do we truly need in life to live off? There is global starving and if we learn to work cohesively towards a better world we can finally make progress which we are all hungry for.
I have always felt very grateful for all that I have, even though at the present moment it’s not much. I’m a full-time student focused on rebuilding my life. From a young age, I’ve felt compelled to help others by volunteering and helping those that I can.
There are so many people born into poverty and not given the hope, the chance for a better life. If your current situation in life does not allow you to live with less, if possible volunteer your time to a cause that inspires you. Time being the most valuable resource we all lack, volunteering it, becomes a selfless act. Afterwards you will experience the rewarding, “feel good” from volunteering and knowing you were able to positively impact the life of someone else. Hence the experience will be intangible better than anything you could have done or purchased.
What could you live without that would help others?
missoquendo
Sibella said,
January 31, 2010 at 9:35 pm
As I think about the question and reflect on how much I take for granted, I’ve realized that there is a lot I can live without, the extra pair of shoes, the cute outfit in the magazine, the purse that is way over priced.
In order to sustain life we only need the basic of necessities. (Food, shelter, water, etc) The rest of what we fill our lives with are material items that bring satisfaction for one reason or another. So the question is, can the satisfaction of helping others fulfill the satisfaction that material items bring? For me, the answer is yes. I can’t say that it always has been, and it’s definitely a work in progress. Once we are able to be confident in who we are on the inside, we can freely let go of the attachment to material items and reach out to those in need.