My mind can't quite comprehend how easily you can hop into a different country when in Europe. Of course, it's like hopping States. Except it's not. Within two hours you can be in any handful of countries and thanks to the ever annoying but usually affordable budget airlines, you can do it for a fraction of the cost.
If people look over my time in Spain and think, "Boy, you traveled a lot!" My response will always be, "I don't think you realize how simple and cheap it is compared to travel in the US." Pick a budget airline, pick a cheap hostel, and pack a backpack. Done.
As a high school junior, my family, some dear family friends, and I ventured up to Boone, North Carolina. My most memorable moments...
1. Having Carlyn (one of the 6 month old twins) spit up all over. I couldn't stand it, so what did I do. In all my 16 year old common sense, I laid her on the table. It was big table thank goodness.
2. Realizing I will never be a skier. And I am more than okay with that. Let's just say I can't stop and managed to take someone out at the bottom of the ski slope. Oops.
3. Becoming the joke of the trip as I had more stuff than stuff than the 6 month old twins, who had sleep monitors and all sorts of other contraptions needed when traveling with babies.
Packing has always been my least favorite because I am a what if packer. I have run through all the what if situations in my head and end up with way more stuff than I could ever need or use. In high school I think I ended up in tears while packing. Packing for college and then unpacking at the end of the year were always things I dreaded. Packing for Wales in one suitcase about caused me a meltdown. Packing for Spain was better...though I packed and repacked more times than I care to remember.
But moving and fitting my life into a backpack for weekends and even a three week trip, has taught me the value of less. Life is simpler when we own less. We live in a world where the message of more bombards us. But the more I have, the more I am weighed down. I have begun to feel freer with less.
When I look at my Savior, what do I see? The true picture of simple living. He gave up riches so we could simply live. So here I stand asking myself when it comes to my things, am I living simply like Him? And when the answer is no, how do I change to live simply?
The packing to leave Spain began in February with the first bag being left in Wales. Another two bags have since gone to stay in Wales. I have three big suitcases left and few carry-on sized bags available. And whatever is leaving Spain with me will fit in those bags. I don't need stuff to make me happy.
Here's to working to live simply...like Jesus...
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