"And after long years of spiritual homelessness, of nostalgia, here is that mystic loveliness of childhood again. Here is home. An old thread, long tangled, comes straight again."-Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
The title of my post? It's the title of a book I am currently reading. And in my opinion, so far, an excellent book. A book I am having a hard time putting down. A book I can't wait to curl up on the couch with and read while my daughter naps. Ooo, it's been a long time since I've read such a book- a non-novel book, that is- that is speaking my heart language. A book I am recommending to you, my I AM WOMAN reader!
The author is Claire Cloninger. She is an engaging writer, a good storyteller, gives a balanced view of "real life" and the possibility of simplicity, as well as how to practically go about simplifying your life - decision-making, time, home, family, work, money, etc. She offers a variety of suggestions and inspiring philosophies for simple living. The book is a couple decades old. And how did I find such a book? The book actually found me. My mom's best friend had this book, given to her by my most incredible renassiance woman grandma who is in heaven now. Inside the flap, there is my grandmother's name in cursive. Her beautiful handwriting. On a recent visit home, my mom's friend gave me this book....and oh happy day, I am very thankful this book has found me.
I reckon this book's assignment to find me through my mom's girlfriend might have been orchestrated by the one who loves me most. My Father (God) knows me. He knows the simplicity I desire to live my life in, the simplicity I want my family to discover and grow in together, the simplicity I desire to invite fellow human BEings into, and the simplicity he himself has put into my dna from the very beginning with my (and our) first ancestors, Adam and Eve. Those first human children of God who knew who they were, their identity settled. They knew who was in charge and where they stood with the one in charge - they were perfectly loved and trusted. Boundaries were clear. Trust was central. Freedom was constant. It was SIMPLE. Life in a garden. Learning. Growing. Seeing. Sharing. Creating. Adventuring. Resting. Discovering. Reflecting. Living. They knew an unbroken relationship with their maker, each other and the life, rhythm and movement of the priveleged planet around them.
Turn on the evening news and it's obvious we do not live in that garden anymore. We are far from it. A world now full of complexity and confusion. Though this is the world we know of and some of us have been tragically and directly affected by (such a world), there is a strange yet familiar longing inside us for a place called simplicity, where we know who we are, where the one leading is perfectly good and he/she connects with our hearts and understands our needs and does what's best for us, where there is trust and peace, understanding and rest, and joy and laughter that gives your abdominal muscles a workout. We find ourselves homesick for something we've never known or seen, yet every once in awhile it bubbles up to the surface of our hearts and pictures and ideas of it dance in our minds...and we miss it. We want to go there, eventhough we've never been there. Some of us feel like we touch a bit of that place when we remember moments in childhood where we were creative and free, perhaps in a backyard treehouse, collecting nuts for our pretend soup and later falling asleep (just because we were tired) to the sound of the wind blowing through the tree tops and squirrels being curious on limbs above us (though not in Hawaii, they don't have squirrels in Hawaii) to awaken to the smell of mom's or grandmom's cooking coming through the window screens to our outdoor castle.
So is it possible? That place called Simplicity? Claire Cloninger thinks so. And me too. My husband and I have been on this journey of discovering Simplicity this last year. It's been disorienting, challenging and at times frustrating. Doesn't sound like Simplicity should be those three adjectives, eh? But it was at first. We fought it - Simplicity, that is - for awhile. Prior to this Simplicity journey, our lifestyle had put simple living somewhat out of reach and our cultural minds told us that simple living was for our younger days and now we are adults, newly-married and soon-to-be parents - the craziness is yet to begin! But nevertheless, we went after it. We felt forced to in someways (like having our first child - life has to slow down) and in other ways we felt invited (like observing Jesus' unique kind of living in the biographies of John, Matthew, Luke and Mark, and a desire for Simplicity was bubbling to the surface of our hearts more and more). My most favorite story among those biographies of Jesus' life in Israel is in John 21 when he, after coming back to life (from being dead), builds a fire and cooks breakfast for his friends along a beach. Sitting on the sand, leaning up against a rock, enjoying some fire-roasted fish and freshly baked bread, reflecting on the last few weeks and years and having the kind of conversation only the dearest of friends can have.
So, all of that to say...If you're looking for a place called Simplicity or you are living it and want some inspiration or practical suggestions/tools to maintain this place, find this book by Claire Cloninger somewhere for a little help.
Read with me! And let's chat.
