The Simple Life

Ethan and Eva have a very unique daycare situation. Instead of being one of 8 daycare children under the watchful eye of "licensed" provider, the twins have been blessed to be cared for by a Mennonite family. Life on the farm without modern conveniences such as electricity, a telephone, television, or even a microwave have become the norm for my twins while I am at work.  Initially, I had concerns about communication without a land line or cell phone. In the event of an emergency, I wondered what would happen?!?!  The thoughts of my twins being taken to the hospital, God forbid, by horse and buggy was terrifying.  I learned quickly that the family was extremely resourceful and communication was never a problem.  With my nerves settled, I began to realize how fortunate my twins were to be a part of this simple way of life.
  The family dynamic is one of a kind.  There are eight children. Of the eight, seven of them are girls and the last born was the boy they had obviously been trying for.  Contributions to the family are made by all with simplicity seeming to be of great  importance to their daily lives.  You won't find them dressed in hip wardrobes nor does the family own a full loaded van. As a matter of fact, their possessions are quite sparse. The furniture is mismatched, shopping  at second hand stores is quite common, and they make their own clothes.  While most of us would gasp in horror at the thought of having to shop at Vintage Values or make a dress, this is their norm.  The best part though is that they are just fine with it and better yet, feel no shame.  They have mastered the art of differentiating between needs and wants. At times, I am in awe of their easy ability to do so.
  This leads me to the purpose of my blog.  Never in a million years could I live as the Mennonites do.  Thoughts of not being able to access the internet is unimaginable, doing without Dunkin Donuts coffee daily might just kill me, and my kids way too many Disney movies. My point is though, that we should not feel compelled to keep up with the Joneses. To feel as though you have to maintain a certain standard of living to fit in is insane.  Your possessions, the size of your house, the vehicle you drive, the clothes you buy are not important in the whole scheme of things. Constantly needing to upgrade as a form of competition with others is ludicrous and quite toxic. Inviting company into your home or giving someone a ride in your vehicle shouldn't incite waves of panic because of the fear that what you have isn't good enough.  Shame over materials things is downright embarrassing.  Sure, we all like to have nice things but stop and appreciate what you have first.  Be grateful even for the little things.
  The Mennonites have found the perfect equation to a happy life-simplicity.  Their priorities are God, family, and morals as are mine.  My definition of simplicity my not be as rigid as theirs but similarly, we both have little care for keeping up appearances.  We should all strive to maintain that standard of life.