The 29 Day Challenge: Day #6

Ooh... I didn't give anything away today, but I am going to make up for it tomorrow. And I am going to fill a donation bag tonight so that I am ready to go...

The 29 Day Challenge: Day #5

What I Gave Away: Some time and attention to my mom's flowers

Who I Gave It/Them To: My mom

Why: Because she loves her flowers and has taught me the importance of caring for living things. Finally, after all these years, I might just be catching on...

What I Observed/Learned: Nature is incredible and brings me a kind of peace that calms me instantly...

Southern Reading Challenge

I've decided to join the Southern Reading Challenge and, in doing so, will choose three or more books to read this summer that focus on Southern culture or history. I'll update this post later when I've chosen my books.

Food Matters

Food Matters

We, as a society, have come so far from where we need to be in terms of what we put into our bodies. Here's a challenge - for a week, or a day, or a meal, or whatever you can... try to have meals that each have no more than 4 ingredients in them. Ideally, these foods will all be locally-grown, organic, and plant-based.

I'll update you on my progress here later. Until then, make sure you check out the site. Watch the trailer, learn what research is out there, make conscious decisions every day about the choices you make and the effects of those choices.

The 29 Day Challenge: Day #4

What I Gave Away: 2 more boxes of books and a bunch of classroom supplies to a friend who will be teaching high school English for the first time next year

Who I Gave Them To: Goodwill and to my friend

Why: Because I don't want all of my classroom materials sitting in boxes and collecting dust.

What I Observed/Learned: Sometime you just have to let go...

The 29 Day Challenge: Day #2 & Day #3

What I Gave Away: 10 boxes of classroom books and misc. supplies and some of my time to tutor a friend's son...

Who I Gave Them To: The boxes went to Angel View Crippled Children's foundation

and the time went to my friend's son...

Why: As far as the boxes go, I had enough classroom stuff to fill 10 classrooms. I only need enough stuff for 1. And for the tutoring time? My friend is a single mom with two teenage high school boys. She works hard and asked me for help. I have a special place in my heart for single moms, as I've watched some close friends walk this path. Coming from a home where my parents are still married, I can't fully comprehend the alternative... but I know that in this friend's case, she needed help yesterday and I have the time and the resources to help out.

What I Observed/Learned: Not being in the classroom every day this year, I sometimes forget how much I enjoy working with teenagers. It was a nice reminder...

The 29 Day Challenge: Day #1

What I Gave Away: 2 bags of books and clothes, some of which were mine and some of which belonged to my mom.

Who I Gave Them To: Angel View Crippled Children's foundation, which runs thrift stores that supports an organization committed to helping developmentally disabled youth become more independent.

Why: Honestly? It's where I always donate stuff. It supports a cause I believe in, but it's also a very conveniently-located drop off place.

What I Observed/Learned: They always ask me if I want a receipt and I always say no. I know that with all I've donated this year I could probably get myself a nice little tax write-off, but for me that would make the act too self-serving. I need to stay focused on the giving. I feel like having a quality organization that is always willing to accept donations and, in doing so, help me simplify my life, is more than enough.

The 29 Day Challenge

Check it out.

So, I joined the 29 day challenge. The goal is to give away 29 different things in 29 days. The "things" do not have to be tangible items - time or services can also be things. 

When I registered on the site, it asked me why I wanted to join the challenge. I think this is it in a nutshell... I live in a world of abundance, where I know that I have more than I need. I am fortunate enough to never have had to think about where my next meal is coming from or where I am going to find a warm bed. Most importantly, I am surrounded by an incredibly supportive network of family and friends who are constantly enriching my life in ways both tangible and intangible. I also know I need to constantly challenge myself to walk the path of social justice. If I believe that this world needs to work every day to become more just, more equitable, and more humane, then I need to do my part. 

I'll chronicle the next 29 days in this blog. I encourage you to join me on my journey.

Simplicity, Peace, and Running

I've decided to train for and run a marathon. I know that part of this decision is fueled by my compulsive need to have tangible goals and plans. At a time when much of my life seems uncertain, I tend to gravitate towards tasks that are straightforward and goal-oriented. That being said, I have been wondering if and how running connects to my voluntary simplicity journey and the concept of peace. Here is what I've come up with thus far...

Running is the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other. It is one of the simplest and accessible forms of exercise in that you need little equipment except your own body and a good pair of shoes. Yet there is an inherent complexity in this simple act. I acknowledge my place of privilege in that I am able-bodied and have the physical health to run - many people throughout the world are not able to engage in what, to me, is a simple and enjoyable act. Running is predictable - if you look ahead and stay focused, you will most probably reach your intended goal. Yet, you cannot get your mind too far ahead of your body or you run the risk of disconnect. Running takes sacrifice. Sometimes you have to force your body to move when it would rather lay dormant. At the end of the day, though, running brings me a sense of peace and calm that help center me and bring me home. I like the rhythmic repetition. I like the challenge of doing something that does not come most naturally to me. I like knowing that this is something at which I will be okay with being average. I can get joy from running without feeling that pressure of perfectionism that drives a lot of things in my life.

For me, voluntary simplicity is like running in that the journey towards a simpler life is a long, complex one made up of the simplest choices and steps. It is also a movement of privilege in that it is a movement of the middle class. Involuntary poverty looks and feels very different than voluntary simplicity because voluntary simplicity involves conscious choices and a sense of freedom. A simple life might often look like a predictable one, although embedded in the predictability is both ambiguity and change. It does not come naturally to me always, and my desire to live a peaceful, simpler life challenges me daily to move outside of my comfort zone and let go of the need to be perfect. It is about seeing the beauty in imperfection and about learning how to be forgiving of myself and my mistakes. Paradoxically, however, simplicity looks like peace and feels like home.