Fewer Wants
by jphiker
Coming back into our “Life after the Camino”, as I stated last week, Terri and I have been trying to live out some of the lessons we learned on our walk. One of the things we learned was it really doesn’t take a lot in life to make us really happy. The Camino gets you back to the basics of life. We were immersed all day long in nature, we had food, shelter and good company. We did not have a lot of luxury but aside from our aches and pains, we found that we did not need a lot to be happy.
I read a quote recently from Henry David Thoreau that I think hits the mark on this lesson.
“I make myself rich by making my wants few”
Oh, what a great lesson this is for us to learn (and re-learn). Now that we have returned back to our “everyday life”, I find how easy it is to be seduced back with the endless desires of the mind for more things and stuff to do that are going to make me happy (or happier). One of the tricks to living this way, might be to work more on “savoring the moments” we have each day. Maybe we should try and avoid letting our minds trick us into thinking we need to be doing things or acquiring things to make us happier. Perhaps trying to get outside more or spending more time with family and friends, just being together would help. This week is as good as any to get started. We can’t wait until things slow down or we are finished because this never really happens. The time to start is now, I say!
weareallpilgrims 
Thanks for your message today, John. I realize that I am much more of a “human doing” than a “human being”. I returned from Michigan Sunday evening after spending a little more than two weeks “caregiving” for my sister. I am amazed at how busy I have been since I returned, including some sadness when I was about to call one of the caregivers in a “caregiving class” I co-taught more than a decade ago. Her younger brother sent me an email to tell me she had died Monday afternoon. The husband for whom she had been caring all of this time is still surviving and has been moved to a “group home” where he will receive care. After reading your comments now, I will try to focus a little more on being a “human being” rather than a “human doing” and hope I make some progress. Thanks again for your message and update.
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Thanks for this weekly reminder. Filling my life with possessions also fills my life with burdens.
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John,
KISS (keep it supid simple) is the rule in Engineering, but not always the case either. Now we need a bell to tell you that the BELL is about to ring! Keep Blogging!
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