How Simple is Simple?

Okay, so....I just turned too close to 30 to speak too much about it before bursting into tears. As with many people, this year has seemed a good one for reflection. Through this deep thought, I really began to think on what makes me truly happy. Is it the money I make? Mmmm....not really. Is it all the gadgets and toys I have (Best Buy is like porn to me)? No....not really that either. I sit and I think back to when was I the most satisfied and truly happy on the inside.

I remembered being a child. I grew up poor for most of my life. Sometimes my Mom and I would go weeks with nothing but saltine crackers and peanut butter to eat. Though being that broke stressed me out as a kid, there was something about it that was calming. I realized though sometimes I felt like "why can't I have that?", like any child does....for the most part, I was happy. I was happy with the refrigerator box Mom found that I turned into an AWESOME fort and play house....all by myself. I was happy with the homemade Birthday and Christmas presents, and most of all I was happy because without the cable tv, the cell phones, the computer, the fancy battery operated toys......all there was was family. Spending time with someone you love.

I have my wife now....and she is most definitely the love of my life....we are happy....but we've both been noticing that we could do with more together time. Though we spend every evening together, it still began to feel like....like we weren't REALLY spending time together. I mean sure, we'd talk and have fun watching tv together, maybe an occassional board game here and there....but still, it didn't seem real, it didn't seem like we were really enjoying the time with eachother. As time has gone on we've talked more and more about having children together and how we would want to raise them. We don't want them sitting in front of the tv for hours, in fact we'd be okay if there was no tv in the house at all. We want them to spend time doing crafts, learning, playing games together as a family....just being in eachother's presence, and not wanting to be any where else.

Think about that.....just tilt your head back, close your eyes, and breathe deep. Think of the little house, filled with animals and kids, laughter streaming abundantly through the house, kids running barefoot through the garden chasing the dog. OMG, it's heavenly, isn't it, can't you smell the breeze, and feel the sun shining brightly on your face. That's it, that's what I want.

So, now that leads me to here. Simple Earth. I want to live my life simply, as well as green. To use and reuse, to get the most I can out of resources....and to live for spending time with my family....leave the tv behind.

This leads to the question how simple is simple??? Hmmm....well, Directv gone, check. Crafts abundant through the house, check. Laughter, check. Instead of buying everything we need or buying gifts, looking for how to make them, looking for chances to recycle....definitely check.

I feel better already, I feel as if I can breathe deeper, I feel like my eyes are sparkling again, like my smile can't fade, and like I've never laughed or loved so hard before!