Sallie Schaaf Borrink

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The Simple Life in Difficult Times


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I’ve been thinking about the simple life in difficult times and how it all fits together. Yesterday I had a bit of an epiphany from, of all places, a Lawrence Welk quote on a calendar: There are good days and there are bad days, and this is one of them.

I don’t know about you, but that seems to sum up my days at this point in time.

Simple Days of Good and Bad

My days are filled with good things. Caroline is really happy and thriving in multiple ways which brings me great joy (and relief). I’ve found renewed energy for my work. It’s autumn, my favorite season, with gorgeous colors and cooler temperatures. Soon all the bugs and allergens outside will be dead. Life is good.

But life is also hard and it can make the days seem “bad” if I let them. I’m tired due to my health. Our family is under a lot of pressure in one particular area. Caroline has already had her first illness of the fall which begins the delicate balance of not wanting to become total hermits for the next six months, but also trying to keep sickness out of our home for a number of reasons.

And then there is the intense cultural battle going on around us which I know I feel and I think most people who love and appreciate this country feel.

So I wake up excited each morning for the “good” ahead and also tempted to feel apprehensive about dealing with the “bad” that is part of my life and must be dealt with.

Fall Apple on Branch

Simple Living in Difficult Times

All this led me to think about the simple life and what it means during difficult times. And, even more so, how the simple life is a strong foundation in challenging times. It’s easy to see how simple living fits into the good of life. What about the rest of it?

Simple living, as I define it, is creating a life of peace, understanding, and joy for you and your loved ones.

It doesn’t matter if the difficult times we face come from within our home or without. During difficult times, a simple life is exactly what we need.

  • We need a life of peace with purposeful rhythm, organization, and routines.
  • We need a life of understanding with strong relationships.
  • We need a life of joy that includes simplifying our life to that which brings value to our lives.

If we homeschool, we bring the simple life into our homeschool.

We choose the propaganda we view in order to protect our peace and focus.

We make sure our home offers our loved ones what they need.

We focus on enjoying all the good we have as Americans who have our own version of the cozy life.

If we have a differently-wired child, we do what we can because differently-wired children need a simple life.

Cultivating a simple life offers a bulwark against the challenges of life. When we organize and prioritize our life around our core values, it is far easier to face the “bad” days that inevitably come.

Water drops on pine branches

Simple Living Resources

I’ve slowly been filling my site with simple living encouragement and resources. I believe strongly in the truth of cultivating a life of peace, understanding, and joy. If you feel like difficult times are surrounding you for whatever reason, I encourage you to proactively do something to add peace, understanding, and joy to your life and the life of your loved ones. My site is full of ideas that I’ve linked to above. There are also other resources such as:

I hope you will find a renewed sense of purpose today.

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