Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Our life is frittered away by detail

Our life is frittered away by detail. An honest man has hardly need to count more than his ten fingers, or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, and lump the rest. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb nail.

from Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Commentary:

I have finally caught up on every last detail that is involved in a big move. My desk is cleared. My house is clean. Luke is sleeping. And I have time on my hands! I'm almost at a loss for what to do! Its a shame that there are so many details involved in leading the modern life. It makes my head spin. Which is why, even on the days that are the busiest, I try to find a moment or two of 'being in the present moment'. Having a young child certainly helps in that aspect. It might not be a quiet moment, but it is most certainly in the present.

As for the details... out of sheer necessity, I have begun to simplify many aspects of my life and it feels good. I will continue to work on paring down the excess so that I have time to actually enjoy living.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

great quote and you made an excellent point! i think i tend to complicate and it just stresses me further. simplifying will make us happy, because by de-cluttering we will feel lighter. :)

Heather said...

Hey Mamajon! I didn't know you were reading my blog. It sure is hard to simplify with a toddler in one's life! But its definitely something worth striving toward. :)

EverydayZen said...

just to say hi