Simplifying Your Life

On occasion, something happens in life that gives us time to reflect, examine and acknowledge our values. The valuation system that each of us sets up for ourselves reflects how we are living out our faith. If I look at my calendar and my check register, I can see exactly what I value. Time and money are guages of what is important to me. Where do I spend my money and how do I spend my time? An interesting and absorbing exercise to examine what you value is this:

• You are given a suitcase 18 inches long by 12 inches wide by 10 inches deep and a canvas bag that will hold 5 books.
• You are told that you are packing for the rest of your life.
• You can take your suitcase with whatever you want in it.
• You pick any 5 books ever printed to put in your canvas bag.
• You can, of course, wear whatever you can and fill your pockets with whatever you wish.
• You must be able to carry, pull or push anything you take.
• You don't have any idea where you are going but you know that you will never come back and will never again see anything that you currently have that you don't take with you.
• You will leave in 20 days.

Of course, your job is to decide what to wear and what to take. Everything that you know is stated above. There is no other human who can give you any more answers. As most of us begin to work through this, we realize that we are searching for what makes us comfortable and what we value. What is it that I would hope that I never have to do without? I encourage you to spend some time on this exercise. I think you will surprise yourself and will learn some things about yourself.

—The Rev. Lynn Anderson
Reprinted from The Dove Tale
newsletter of the Church of the Holy Comforter, Augusta