Doing with Less

It seems like the Holy Spirit is gently leading me along and in some many still small ways I am having thoughts about the subject of "doing with less". Self denial.

I used to joke about the old Bugs Bunny cartoon where someone, probably Elmer Fudd would go around singing in opera "Kill de Wabbit, kill de wabbit!", except in my version it was "Kill the passions, kill the passions!" to the same melody, which I obviously can't reproduce here on this blog. What am I watching, reading, eating, drinking, talking about...and am I bludgeoning people with my vocal chords in order to be a minor domestic deity of wrath? Or am I a repentant creature, glorifying my God in body, sould, word and deed?

I certainly don't want to trumpet anything about how great I am or how much I'm "doing for God" and to do so would be false, so don't get me wrong. I'm just ruminating, and thinking of ways to live the spiritual life as a lay person in 2009 in L-ville Kentucky. In many respects, it is as ordinary as can be, and that is a good thing. Of course it does not hurt at-all that I was priviledged to be at a retreat with Mother Macrina (Holy Dormitian Monastery) today. Very good lectures were given (and received).

But where the rubber meets the road is the things I tend to give in to my cravings about, and that, my friends, is the hard part. The clothing is easy, and just a beginning.

But all this to say: The brown dress simplicity experiment is continuing to bless, and to be an instrument for some clarity, for some reason or other.

I wonder what it would be like to only own two dresses, and not have a closet full of clothes stashed in bags waiting for retrieval. But those thoughts are premature. All in good time, self. All in good time.

Comments

Has said…
Hooray for you! I'm so inspired by your brown dress project and your related thoughts. Thanks for sharing it all with people you don't even know!
Anonymous said…
Thinking of you as you continue through this experimental fast... :)

Will you continue it into the Nativity Fast?

xx M.
Alana said…
I've not decided yet whether I will continue it, but there is a very good chance I will.