Simplifying Life - a Musing Rumination

A famous book begins with the line "Life is difficult." Never have truer words been spoken. Since life IS difficult at best, it is of primary importance to individuals to resist habits and activities that increase its level of difficulty. I found, in a quick internet search, that there are many experts on this subject. Abounding on the internet are listings for "life coaches", articles outlining plans for simplifying life, and various sites containing hundreds of thousands of motivational quotes.

As an older American who has moved from one residence to another more than 20 times (a life-circumstance that requires one to evaluate each possession and whether it merits being packed in a box and hauled to a different house), I have come to value highly the idea of simplifying life. Over the years I have developed some strong feelings/beliefs about one habit that tends to make life more difficult. Eliminating that one activity/habit gives a person a hand up onto the horse of a simpler life.

I believe that the greatest "complicator" of life is the accumulation of STUFF and the resultant problem of organizing it. Belongings take up time, space, money and emotional energy. Most of us simply have so many things (clothes, kitchen gadgets, books, computer files, etc.) that we spend our days and our energy organizing, sorting, searching through, accumulating, discarding, and wondering what to do with STUFF!

Life is difficult - why not make it simpler by knowing where you left your shoes so you don't have to search for them every time you go out?

Life is difficult - why make it more difficult by having to choose between 14 pairs of shorts when deciding what to wear to the ballgame?

Life is difficult - why complicate it further by having to move 25 pictures and knick-knacks from the shelf everytime the shelf needs dusting? Do I really need or want all these angel figures?

Life is difficult - wouldn't it be easier to sort 3 loads of laundry instead of 12 or 13? Too many clothes!

Since life if already difficult, why complicate it further by purchasing another pair of earrings, when you seldom wear 40 of the 50 pairs you already own?

If life is difficult, why spend half your time organizing your "stuff" - cleaning out drawers and cabinets, sorting through books and papers, dividing clothes up into piles to give away, throw away, or keep, sorting and filing information on the computer?

Do I own my stuff -- or does it own me? Which is master and which the slave?

If I were master, I would have plenty of time to blog. As it is, I must go put in another load of laundry.