In her article “A Spirituality of Contentment,” Dee Dee Risher makes it clear not only that simple living is more than a lifestyle but also that practicing simplicity is not an end in itself. It is a means of grace. It is a way (as is the silence of a listening heart) to real freedom (e.g. not being owned by what we own), and real fecundity. This grace is often experienced as a hospitable spaciousness for and a deeper connection to oneself, God, others, and the earth. She writes:

Ultimately, the measure of our spiritual health will be two fold: our orientation to God, and our commitment to the communities given to us and to which we are given. If simplifying our lives is not linked with a deeper prayer life, something is wrong. If we have not discovered more authentic, relational community, our alternative lifestyle has utterly failed. 

In the end, we must build more vital and real relationships between ourselves, with God, and with the earth. The key for me came when I no longer saw my goal as simplifying my lifestyle. Instead, I saw those choices as tools which enabled me to build a deeper, more creative alternative. My lifestyle choices were intrinsically related to a single end: developing a spirit of detachment that freed me up for others and for God.♦

REFLECTION:

Lectio: Prayerfully ponder Risher’s words and listen for how they might speak into your life.