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.
