the beauty of simplicity

Yesterday I was kind of a bum--no gym, no school work, nothing stressful.  This allowed for some good ol' fashioned thinkin' time, and so in that way I guess I can feel slightly productive.  Reflecting on life is not my favorite thing, to be honest.  It often involves the humble realization of my depravity, and that whenever I try to do life on my own--as I too often do--it doesn't work out so well.  Thankfully, reflecting always comes back to God's grace in my life, and how, as undeserving as I feel, God has called me his child.  By grace he brings me back to his promises of his good plans for me.  By grace he reminds me that nothing else in all creation can separate me from his love. By grace he prompts me to be grateful.

One of the many things for which I am grateful is this place I've called home for almost three years.  There is a plethora of reasons to be grateful for my time in La Paz, but one I appreciate the most is a simple way of life.  Now I by no means am deprived of anything I need here in Bolivia. In fact, I have most everything I want, so in many ways I am still the spoiled American.  But I believe my mindset has changed in small ways as a result of living here.  I don't need a big salary.  I don't need a car.  I don't need to spend money on expensive meals to have quality time with friends.  I can travel on a small budget.  Proper electrical outlets and paved roads are luxuries I don't have to have.  A dryer and a dishwasher aren't necessities  either.  Movies at home can be just as good as or better than going to the theatre.  New clothes (and by that I mean new to me; the clothes I buy here are used) are nice but not essential.  There is no shame in borrowing...a lot.  Walking is better than driving or getting transportation everywhere.  Church is just as meaningful or more so in a school cafeteria with plastic chairs as in a "real" church facility.  Hanging out with kids in a neighborhood slum simply requires my time, a little energy and some love.  Most importantly, I don't feel the constant nag that I feel too often in the States; I don't need the cutest clothes and shoes, the latest iPhone, the sleekest car, the fanciest things.  I am satisfied with my purpose and my community here.  I am content with the simplicity of this place, of my job, of my relationships.  


My circumstances and community will vastly change in a few months.  I will have a new set of friends, a new church, a new apartment, a new job, and a different way of living.  I hope one thing that can remain the same, however, is this mindset of simplicity. Yes, it will be amazing to dry my jeans in a dryer again and eat fresh produce without sanitizing it first.  But when materialism rears its ugly, greedy head, may I counter it with a content smile, remembering that a simpler life--the life I'm trying to embrace every moment of here--is a beautiful thing.