Over the last few years, I merged an entire household of my belongings into smaller and smaller spaces. Lots of belongings, things I once believed that I really needed, have moved onto new spaces, outside my own, now belonging to different people. Bob the Rubber Plant has a new window in a new home, sharing space with Fiona the Ficus. Fifteen plus boxes of books now live on other shelves and are read by new eyes.
I’ve traveled to Africa and China, to off-the-beaten-path places where the luxury of excess does not exist. In China, simplicity is a way of life. Families are sardined into tight quarters and money’s tight, necessitating fewer belongings. In Africa, simplicity’s not a choice. It’s a necessity. Even basic resources are scarce, and you’re lucky if you own one pair of shoes that match.
I’ve traveled to Africa and China, to off-the-beaten-path places where the luxury of excess does not exist. In China, simplicity is a way of life. Families are sardined into tight quarters and money’s tight, necessitating fewer belongings. In Africa, simplicity’s not a choice. It’s a necessity. Even basic resources are scarce, and you’re lucky if you own one pair of shoes that match.
