Less Is More

Since coming to realize the truth about God's love, I have consequently also had a change occur in something that may weave subtlely in and about my spiritual life. Maybe I am even stretching the topic a bit to connect the two ends.

I want to simplify my life on a domestic level: I want to move out of my big house in the suburbs with rooms that go unoccupied and into a small condo close to work in the city. I want to be rid of 2/3 of my possessions, including a car. I want to live in a more concentrated fashion (greener, too) and I want to do away with many of my belongings - books I have read sit and collect dust, knick knacks and trinkets sit unused, music that I listen to in a digital format is not necessary to have in hard copy, multiple copies of items are so unncessary and I have furniture that is old and worn and I keep it for no good reason anyway. Why do I feel the need to keep so much shit? I was never a "pack rat" and have purged one or two items in the past that I have regretted getting rid of, but I feel an emergency to downsize once again. I want to shift my way of living 180 degrees. This new motivation comes with the freedom I feel with a new outlook on God's love.

I hope to begin making changes and arrangements to this new way of life this month. Though the housing market is not good for sellers, I am willing to break even if it means getting out and getting my life in a simpler state.

I feel like when I got rid of my misconceptions and burdens of guilt and fear that I have carried about God from the Catholic Church, I became lighter than air. I need to heave-ho the last of my burden of "unnecessary things" and live in a more humbler and real way.

I have moved away from the the Church's motto of "In the end, there are three things that last: fear, tithe, and guilt....and the greatest of these is guilt." to the real thing. I know that I am in the minority of Christians who believe in universal reconciliation, but I seek the narrow way anyhow. With Ash Wednesday fast approaching, I know that co-workers who have seen me leave to get ashes in the past will say something. I stopped trying to change people long ago. With a calm heart I will explain my 'heresy' and expect questions, but I will not get into the ring over who is right and wrong. There is no point. The point of the Gospels is that we all strive to act with love as Jesus did.

And living with less belongings may help.