When we look back at our lives 5, 10, or even 15 years down the road, will we be happier because we suddenly have more things? A bigger house, better cars, nicer computers, bigger TVs, air conditioning, a dish washer, a washer and drier, and I could keep on going.
Today I was talking with Lewis about this. Sure, an air conditioner would be oh so heavenly. But would it really make me happier? Sure, it'd be refreshing, but then I'd probably complain about the electricity bill being much higher than it is here in our AC-less place.
A few weeks ago, Lena and I took a rather long walk. I walked past a house whose garage was open and both cars were parked out in the drive-way. The garage was full of stuff. Completely FULL! Stacked up against all the walls and laying all over the ground. And I kept thinking - Lewis and I have everything that we could need or want right now [besides the air conditioning... kidding] in our tiny, two bedroom, storage-less apartment. We're happy living on nothing [except love - come on, people]. And it got me thinking - I never want to just have stuff. Just because there's room to suddenly store it.
5, 10, or 15 years down the road, I want to look back at my life now and remember how truly happy we are. With very little. We don't have a lot of stuff.
- Two frying pans, two pots, two 9x13 casserole dishes, two cutting boards. And we could easily get by on only having one.
- Five tall glasses, 4 small glasses, 10 big plates, 8 small plates, and lots and lots of utensils. And we don't have a dish washer. What are we doing with 18 plates?! We do dishes after every meal! Crazy. See, we could still easily get by on much less.
After meditating this afternoon once conference was over, I started thinking about how grateful I am for all that I don't have.
I'm grateful for my AC-less, dish washer-less, and washer and drier-less apartment.
I'm grateful for the storage that we do not have, forcing us to sell and give away the things that we just don't have room for.
I'm grateful for the 1 square inch of counter space in my kitchen and the fact that I don't have a pantry but just have to stuff everything above the fridge.
I'm grateful for the sometimes long walk to the laundry mat (depending on how much I'm carrying) because it gets me out of the house when usually, I'm there all day with Lena.
On the other hand, I'm truly, truly grateful for the things I do have:
Our AC unit.
The few dishes we do have.
A working fridge.
A loving husband.
Laughs and smiles from the most adorable baby.
A stroller that lets me go on nice long walks with the tiny child who now takes up all my time.
Loving, sacrificing parents and parents-in-law.
Easy means of communication so we can talk to those parents and parents-in-law.
My blender so I can make the smoothies I crave daily.
Books that take up way too much room in our already tiny apartment.
The disney movies that Lewis thinks take up too much room. But I just love disney, so sorry, honey, they're not going anywhere :)
I could list a lot more things, but this post is already really long. When Lewis and I leave Utah and maybe have a bigger place, we're not going to know what to do with ourselves!
Actually, I've already planned what I'm doing with more counter space - I'm buying a kitchen aid.
But now I'm thinking about it again. I get along just fine with my hand mixers! So why buy a kitchen aid when I'm perfectly happy and content now? The kitchen aid won't make me happier. But it sure is convenient! Ok, sorry. Tangent over.
Thanks general conference for reminding me how happy I am in my tiny, little life with Lewis and Lena.
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| Sure love them. |
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