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The "rat race" is a major obstacle to the
spiritual life. Being "too busy" to pray, think, serve, or
even enjoy life is a curse of our modern, consumer-driven course
down the fast lane. Although our activities may be done on behalf of
our children or other seemingly good causes, we must find a balance.
If nothing else, we must avoid burn out for ourselves and our
children.
Simple living means different things. It can mean reducing
stressful activities, doing more reading, walking or enjoying music,
gardening, playing with our children, or simply spending time alone
-- or with God. It may also mean learning to realize that we don't
need all the "stuff": the toys, foods and accessories that
advertisers tell us are enablers of happiness. This can lead to
actually making do with less -- and finding that we get more
enjoyment from simpler pleasures and have more time to live, as
opposed to shop.
People who take simple living seriously usually develop a strong
sense of ecological responsibility. They consume less, use natural
products, eat more nutritious foods, exercise more, and in general
enjoy better health and less stress. They also contribute
less to pollution and waste. They become aware of how lifestyle
impacts others and how everything interconnects.
Simple living is becoming recognized as producing the
ground in which Faith can flourish. There are two major reasons. One
is that we must free ourselves from the oppressive demands of modern
life in order to have time, readjust our priorities, and turn
toward others. The other reason is that simple living encourages us
to recognize our connectedness to everyone else and to all of
creation. These are both prerequisites to an authentic spirituality.
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