Searching for less and finding its enough...

Coming back from our camping trip yesterday, I thought about our family and how the six of us (myself, the hubby, our three children and the dog) are growing together stronger, happier and simpler.

When I think of Gandhi's "live simply so that others may simply live" quote, not only do I think about simplicity as benefiting the world globally and locally, but also about its influence in my own life, within my family.

I find myself approaching everything that way now, asking the same questions "what will make this easier, what will have the least impact, what will be more enriching?

We committed to bringing only the tent, two sets of clothing per person, a few beach toys plus some basic necessities (hygiene, blankets, firewood, flashlights) to the campsite- no hand-held games, cell phones or i-pods. (sounds easy? Try talking a pre-teen into it!!)

It was a great time! I learned things about every single one of my kids, about my husband, about my dog, and about myself that I would have never discovered had we not kept things to a minimum, having mostly only one another to rely on for food, shelter, and fun!Sure, simplicity takes planning and organization, otherwise you may find yourself forgetting to bring essentials and having to go buy supplies; But it is so worth it!

We managed to keep optimistic and relaxed even with the constant ingress of huge SUVs pulling even bigger RVs, equipped with tvs, stereos, cooking ware (we are talking smokers, fryers, portable microwaves, FIREWORKS, and much, much more)- No, camping DOES NOT mean the same thing to all humans!

I hope that more people are now seeking to have moments of true, undivided attention, interacting with their loved ones in nature and fostering appreciation for one another and for the beauty of our world.

As for us, we swam, we sang, rode bikes, built a fire and finally slept to the sound of rain drops "plop" and "plop" on the roof of our tent! Unplugged, Unwound, together.

Beijos to all!