Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words (click here for details).
Today, it’s my pleasure to share Grace’s story with you. I love the pioneer spirit she brings to her minimalist journey!
Grace writes:
Minimalism for me started at a very early age. I can clearly remember reducing my personal belongings to what would fit into a square metal “Mystery Date” lunch box. I was eleven and my health had progressively deteriorated due to a heart condition. The purpose of my doing this was to prevent my family from using my possessions as a vehicle for mourning if I were to die. Yes, somewhat morbid I will agree, but true.
A cowboy’s life was a model I admired. My ideas of cowboys came from television and movies that I devoured. The minimalism of a bed roll, a saddle bag and the stars over my head were the dreams that occupied my mind when I had to be alone and quiet while others were at play.
As I grew older books about pioneers fascinated me. It was intriguing to me that possessions once thought to be so important would often be discarded as the journey became more difficult. What did they ultimately keep? What would they eventually replace? What did they regret?
Good fortune came my way a few years after I packed that square metal lunch box. With medical advances my condition improved. I then had a future. However, I kept the spirit of the cowboy and pioneer’s minimalism as an ideal.
I have experienced homeownership and all its responsibilities. With that responsibility there slowly grew a whole lot of stuff. Stuff for gardening, furnishing, maintenance and remodeling … Now, I live in an apartment; minimally but comfortably furnished. After 20 years of my spare time being occupied with maintaining possessions, my possessions now serve me. I am employing the lessons of the cowboy and pioneer’s minimalism in a manner that brings me joy and peace. I have also come to respect and include the minimalism of Japanese culture in my philosophy.
The spirit of minimalism has served me well. I have made two cross country moves in my 51 years and each time I have only brought with me the few items that I could carry in my car. The first move was to begin a new life with my husband. The second move was to return to my home state after my husband’s death. Each move I have gifted and donated my belongings to those that were grateful to receive. It’s a gift of freedom to live lightly. Like the pioneer I’ve learned to reassess my needs and wants. It allows me to focus on the blessings of clean sheets, a hot shower, healthy food, a fresh arrangement of flowers and a good book.
I envision that at some point in time my provisions will possibly fit into a saddlebag, but for now I am content.
{If you’d like to learn more about minimalist living, please consider reading my book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide, or subscribing to my RSS feed.}
What a wonderful start to the week- thanks very much!
Grace, I found such comfort reading your story. Thanks so much for sharing. :)
Grace, thanks so much for sharing this! I wish you continued good health!
Your idea of fitting your personal belongings into a lunch box put something I’ve thought about into words. With all the death I’ve seen in my life, I’ve also seen family members fetishize pictures and objects that belonged to the departed, and, as a result, their homes contained items that belonged to that person but that aren’t their taste and take up valuable space. (I admit that I am not guilt-free here – I finally got rid of my late father’s coat, 20+ years after he died.)
Which leads to another of your points – gifting or donating to those grateful to receive the items. I know that there are people who would be happy to have the items I no longer need. Why should our greed stand in the way of someone else using or enjoying an item that sits around unused in our homes?
Thanks again for your post – and happy adventuring!
I love this. Thank you!
Wow, Grace, you are such an inspiration! I absolutely loved your analogy with cowboys, I’ve never really looked at them in that way.
I wish you good health as you continue your minimalist journey. Thank you so much for sharing!
After your post I am off to clean out another cupboard and go to Goodwill. We are a family of 5 so I can’t fit every thing into a saddle bag, bed roll or lunch box. We also have to drag around diabetes supplies for one son. That being said I love giving and gifting my extra “things”. My home feels so spacious with less…………. A great post.
Beautiful! Thank you Grace for sharing your minimalist story! This is my favorite real life story so far. And this line is like a breath of fresh air: “…clean sheets, a hot shower, healthy food, a fresh arrangement of flowers and a good book.” so simple and peaceful!
great article. I liked “It allows me to focus on the blessings of clean sheets, a hot shower, healthy food, a fresh arrangement of flowers and a good book.” I would want to add indoor plumbing. I am all for the pioneers, except that part :)
Wow. As one of those relatives I have NEVER heard you explain your minimalism that way. I’m choked up at the moment but that wouldn’t surprise you!
I’m just reflecting on how much we were affected by our childhood. My dream was to have a neat clean house with a turret full of all my sentimental treasures.You know the pain I felt when my mother threw away all my toys because I “couldn’t keep a clean room”. You also know how many people we’ve lost in our life and how much of their stuff wound up with me!
Grace, you make such a BIG difference in my life. When my mom died I KNEW it would be you who helped me clean up her home. We did in 24 hours. Anything I have left from my mother is useful or beautiful (and we both know my mother, they are usually both!)
As I look at the last pile on my dining room table, I thank you for your presence in my life and your continued encouragement to keep making baby steps. I am SO close to the freedom from my stuff. Thank you again and again.
Now I know why you loved your Jane doll and her horse so much! I have a funny feeling we WILL be in the saddle together someday. Love you SO much and am SO proud of you.
xoxoxoxoxoxo KT:)
Beautiful post, Grace. You are an inspiration in so many ways! So glad your health improved and I’m sure your positive attitude helped. It is amazing how little we actually need and how important the little things like clean sheets are. Thank you!
Grace, what a wonderful inspiration for the start of the week. You sound like someone who has learned life’s lessons from a very young age and has carried that wisdom with her always. It must be a privilege for others to know you.
Really touching story, Grace! Thank you.
My mother passed away and letting go of some things was painful.. but I don’t want to keep anything out of guilt. Only something that is really special or really useful -or both. I kept a red cardigan she had knit for herself and wore frequently – I put it on the day she died and have continued wearing it and I really love it and it comforts me. I think it’s my favorite piece of clothing.
Wonderful and inspiring post. Thank you for writing this piece and for your honesty.
Really loved this. A lot!
I also never thought of cowboys to be minimalists, but now i think of it, they really are…
Think I’ll sit down to a good western now.
Thank you Grace
Beautiful story. I must say that today’s cowboy is NOT a minimalist though. I’m married to a horse trainer, and with all the horses, cattle & gear, when we move, the barn/stock takes way more space than it takes to move the house belongings. I do realize you’re talking about the cowboys that worked the ranches & did the cattle drives and they were truly minimalist & I’ve often wondered how they lived so simply, while my cowboy is anything but simple. And while they were minimalists, I don’t think their lifestyle is something many people today would want to live long-term. We moved so often that for years we lived under the philosophy “if it doesn’t fit in our horse trailer, we don’t own it” but having been more settled the past decade or so, things are slowly creeping back in. I wish you continued good health.
What a wonderful story. I’m so glad minimalism has helped you with all the things you’ve been through.
Beautiful story, Grace. My fantasy life is as a cowgirl after living in Texas many years (but having to live in the city) so I can relate soul-wise. And as mentioned above, your sentence “It allows me to focus on the blessings of clean sheets, a hot shower, healthy food, a fresh arrangement of flowers and a good book”, is so refreshing to hear. A place to lay your head, a clean body, good food, natural beauty and an escape for the mind. How true! Thank you for sharing.
Wow – and I really mean wow! This brought tears to my eyes. It amazes me that you thought along those lines at the young age of 11. I guess your story affects me even more than the usual because my daughter was diagnosed with a life threatening illness at 9 – she went in the total opposite direction and became a true hoarder, holding on to everything fearing it would be all she would ever have.
I’m so sorry about the loss of your husband. I can see you really know what’s important in life!
One of the most beautiful posts I’ve ever read. Just as beautiful was the impact you’ve had on your relative’s (Katherine’s) life. Your names were neither happenstance nor ironic. The grace and love that minimalsim has brought to your life and your relationship w/ your relative is profound. I thank both of you for sharing.
I also add that I understand you lunch box. Having learned to live w/ rather unpredicatble health, myself, I’ve always worried that should I pass, my posessions (and my clutter) would cause more heartache to my loved ones. In fact, one day, I unexpectdly found myself lying in a hospital bed w/ friends sifting through my home trying to find things I requested be brought to me. I’ve never forgotten the look of almost horror in their eyes at the amount of clutter they discovered in my home. I wish I had the foresight to considered packing a lunch box back then. : )
Wow, what an inspiring story. Moving around really does make you realize the benefits of “living lightly” and I love the mobility it offers. I’d never want to miss out on an opportunity to go somewhere b/c I’m tied down by my stuff. Thanks, Grace!
Seems minimalism is beneficial to the young, the young-at-heart, the travellers, the stay-at-homes, the healthy and the struggling…
Very inspiring post.
With love from an elderly decrepit minimalist!
This is beautiful! Thanks Grace, it was a pleasure reading your story.
This essay was incredible! Thank you for sharing. Oh, yes, I, too, had an experience with Mystery Date, although mine was the board game and not the lunch box. Boy, that brought back memories. And I am finding that the memories are enough. I don’t need to retain the stuff, but the good stuff the stuff left behind.
Grace, this may be my favorite Real-Life Minimalist post ever! Your story is both poignant and thought-provoking. I’m so glad that your health improved so you could continue to be a blessing in the lives of those who love you. You speak with the heart of a true philosopher. Health and happiness to you this New Year!
“my possessions now serve me” – well-said.
Such a beautiful essay! Your sentence about the simple things you truly appreciate really spoke to me. My husband and I think of ourselves as simple people, and yet over the years we’ve allowed ourselves to succumb to “lifestyle creep” and now find ourselves in a too-big house with too much Stuff. We are taking steps to purge the excess, and hope to downsize within a couple of years.
However, the part that struck me the most was your lunchbox. Such a wise soul to consider others at age eleven! Most adults don’t even realize the pain of sorting through a deceased loved one’s belongings. My dear friend lost her younger sister to brain cancer a year ago. Her furniture and clothing were distributed, sold, or donated with relative ease, but their mother is still unable to sort through the boxes of personal items as it brings up so much grief.
I am so glad your health improved and I wish I could know you. You sound like such a peaceful, positive person.
There’s nothing left to say that hasn’t been said before, so I’ll say it again. Thank-you. : )
I was surprised, but not really that surprised, to see that the sentence that resonated with many was about our basic comforts – hot shower, clean sheets, etc. It made me think of the long motorcycle trip I went on with my husband last year (two people, one motorcycle, and only the stuff we needed to camp out and keep dry). A hot shower and healthy food were such a comfort after a day on the road. Although, after such a long journey, I found myself fantasizing about spending the day at home hanging laundry out to dry and cooking in an actual kitchen. It’s the simple things, for sure, that provide us with the most comfort. :)
Oh Grace, you and I must be kindred spirits! I’ve often dreamed of living under the stars. And I also understand the burden that home ownership can bring. I’m trying to pare it all down, but with growing children and constant work, it seems like my dream of less is far, far away. Thank you for the hope that my dream will be attainable one day :)
P.S. Don’t forget all of the stuff you need for horse ownership ;)
Clint Eastwood (Rowdy Yates – Rawhide) didn’t seem to need that much for his horse ownership and still managed to look good, well and rested!
Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful comments. I’m wishing all of you the sense of freedom of a clear and open sky. Learn to mosey.
Love your January story Grace. I have just joined the conversation and I am happy to discover new things about you all and myself.
Somehow I missed this. I loved the idea of the cowboys Travelling lightly. I enjoy cleaning closets and getting rid of things we don’t need. It always makes me feel better. My mother-in-law used to talk about leaving her house in dying condition so if she died suddenly, people would know she was a good housekeeper. I’d like to leave my house empty enough that it wouldn’t be a burden.
I have always had a hard time spending money on myself. The only thing I have more of right now is house plants. When they get too big, I cut them up and make more. In the summer, they live on our balcony. I give them away as gifts.
I am giving away another bag of art supplies. I also have another pile for the library. We are going to a cousin’s house and I am bringing some art books to give her. Last night, I was making beads out of the sale papers that are in our junk mail. I also make collages out of old greeting cards and junk. I make art out of anything that comes my way. But if I haven’t used it in a year or two I pass it on. I have 2 small bins of art and craft supplies.
I was happy to see that some of the papers I had given to the library were used in an adult card- making program as well as the kids’ programs. Someone has already asked me to help with making poppies for a World War I program for next year. I gave more craft items to my friend who teaches Sunday school. I am planning to pass on more craft books and materials that I haven’t used in the past year.