Assume for just a moment you have one of those mothers that does all the work around the house for you. Every morning when you wake up she makes your bed and the kitchen is spotless no matter what the family ate for dinner the night before.
If that was the case, how would you show the most respect and honor to your mother? Would you best bring her honor by pulling out every toy and making as large a mess as possible for her to clean? Or would you bring her honor by keeping things clean, by putting your own toys away, and keeping the room as close to perfection as possible? The second one of course. You would bring honor to her by sustaining the perfection that she desires for you as much as possible.
That’s how I look at the environment. If it started in a state of perfection, we would most honor it by taking as much care of the environment as we can. The less we consume, the less damage we do to the environment. And that benefits everyone.
Yes we all have a footprint on this beautiful planet. Life is a series of choices from how to live, where to work, whether or not to have children, what we eat, what our consumption patterns are. We can either be part of the problem or part of the solution realizing that the planet resources are not infinite and we must respect and revere that which truly sustains us.
I have experimented living without each electrical appliance. Now I enjoy lights, radio, juicer and phone, laptop chargers as my electricity consumers. I have gas hot plate and NO fridge. I lived in India for 3 months and experienced living without. I simply ate fresher and healthier.
As a minimalist this process was helpful for the want v need conundrum. Next is live without lights.
I’ve always been such a mother. My home is meticulous, but the people I live with are not. It’s hard to change old habits and human nature.
Joshua, I agree this is an excellent reason. However, I would take issue with the phrase “rule over.” To me God put us here as caretakers of the Earth and everything on it. To claim we “rule over” it too easily leads to permission to defile it: clear cut forests, blow up mountains for mining, contaminate water with chemicals from factories, etc. Just a thought. LOVE the site.
I appreciate so much of what your blog communicates and this one really struck a cord with me. Thanks for sharing the ideas that minimalizing is actually maximalizing what we have, and what we are lent for a time.
I really love this comment of yours, it just says what I believe. Niceley said!!
love your blog. i am starting with wordpress.com and as a new blogger, it’s intimidating to say the least.
what should i do? i love the simplicity of your site and would like one as simple also.
thank you and keep up the good work!
very well said