Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Jeff Shinabarger of Plywood People. He is the author of More or Less: Choosing a Lifestyle of Excessive Generosity.
“Anything we find that is more than enough creates an immediate opportunity to make others’ lives better.” – Jeff Shinabarger
I was 24 and was asked to lead an event called Catalyst. And it grew. We saw the growth happen from 5,000 people to 10,000 people to 25,000 people and awareness continued to spread across the world.
But, bigger is not always better.
I wrestle with this tension everyday. More or Less? Every aspect of life feels like this tension hits at the core of what is success. More or less clothes? More or less food? More or less square footage? More or less time? More or less Twitter followers? In an age of continual progress, what is enough?
Often times, a relationship with one person can change how you see the world in a greater way than the largest audience that you influence.
We moved into East Atlanta Village. It has eclectic bars with the best sounds of up-and-coming musicians, and a community-operated bike shop. It’s a wonderful, diverse place to live. We were moving from a two-bedroom to a three-bedroom home. We just didn’t expect what would happen next.
When we moved into our house, it was only a few hours before a man rang the doorbell. This was our neighborhood welcoming committee of one.
He had one of those smiles that implies he’s got some hard stories to tell. His teeth were a little crooked, yet very white. He was wearing a Cincinnati Red’s hat cocked to one side. My new neighbor’s name was Clarence, and as I learned that day, he was always “looking for work.” I also learned quickly that Clarence worked hard. The difference between Clarence and many of my other neighbors is simply he had no home.
It’s not that I had never met a homeless person before. But this was different. Clarence pushed me over the edge. He was my neighbor. I couldn’t get away from him. And I liked him. The constant smirk of a smile got under my skin and into my heart.
Our relationship introduced a barrage of new questions for my life: How do I love my neighbor when my neighbor has no front door or even walls? My previous worldview assumed my neighbor would be living in the same context as me: in a home. I thought the fabric on our couch or our dinner choices may be different, but I never really imagined my neighbor without a refrigerator or a shower. With one doorbell ring, all the ways I looked at my day-to-day life instantly changed.
Suddenly I saw my life through Clarence’s eyes. What he saw looking through my front door was abundance. I have not one but two living areas that anyone can actually see from the front door. I have air conditioning for those hot days in Atlanta. I have a toilet and shower in each of my two bathrooms and I even have a washer and dryer for my clothes. And speaking of clothes, my wife and I each had our own walk-in closet filled with them. Clarence didn’t have to say a thing to me. Just having this new relationship in my life changed the way that I looked at what I have been given.
My material excess and his material need made for a confusing symbiotic relationship. We both knew there was no way that I could fully grasp what it would feel like to not have a physical place to sit down and process the day. But there was also an understanding that he could never fully understand the things that I own. Our worlds were lived far apart, yet in the same square mile.
I wish everyone had the opportunity to know Clarence, or someone like him. They encourage us to a distinct change needed in our own lives. An unsettled ambition that we know needs to be different.
The truth is: I have more than enough and I believe many people can relate. We don’t need more. We don’t need bigger. When we choose to live on less, it creates the potential to do much more for others.
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Jeff Shinabarger is the founder of Plywood People, an innovative community addressing social needs through creative services. His new book, More or Less: Choosing a Lifestyle of Excessive Generosity, is absolutely fantastic. It is a book destined to call many to redefine their understanding of “enough” and call each of us to rediscover a lifestyle of excessive generosity. I highly recommend it to you.
Thedebtfreeminimalist says
I once read in John Naish’s brilliant book, Enough, that your brain releases those same stimulating, feel-good chemicals, released when you are out-shopping, satisfying your consumerism driven desires, when you give to others . The more you give, the easier is to understand and appreciate those feelings. Rather than filling your life with more needless junk, you can use your wealth to better the lives of others.
Last Friday I gave an old duvet, soon to be discarded, to a homeless person living in a shop entrance, at a nearby city. I can’t describe how good it felt to be making a small, but much appreciated, contribution to this person’s life. This ‘feel-good’ factor went sky high the following night, after temperatures had lowered quite significantly, as I drove through the city and caught sight of the same guy, in a different shop entrance, wrapped up, snuggly, in my old duvet!
Anyone who takes the path towards a life of minimalism will soon enjoy the benefits of owning less, the elimination of desire for the latest gadget/clothing must-have, the comfort you can take by realising that no one material possession will make you happy and that happiness will come, almost as a sub-benefit, of redirecting your previous consumerism led free time to more fulfilling activities such as helping the homeless or simply spending quality time with your family.
Please take the time to check out my new website, http://www.thedebtfreeminimalist.com for inspirational advice on how to live a simple, frugal, debt-free minimalist lifestyle.
Bethany @ Journey to Ithaca says
Definitely some interesting thoughts. I think, a society where we have so much, we often do forget to realize how much we actually have. On television, we see lavish homes, fancy decorating, and the constant message that we don’t have enough, aren’t good enough. You’re right, though–we can take the energy that we would use to accumulate more, and use it to give something back.
Joy @ Joyfully Green says
This was really beautiful and heart-warming. In the back of my head, though, I must admit that I wondered things like “so, did Jeff offer Clarence a cup of coffee from that coffee-maker?”, or gloves when it was cold outside, or a small gift that he could use at the holidays (a jacket, a backpack?) or a sandwich now and then? Or was it strictly a “friendship” where Clarence rang the bell and did work for pay? I have a feeling from the nature of this piece that Jeff was generous in other ways than just giving him money in exchange for services, but just the same, I was left wondering about the limits of this friendship. Clarence wouldn’t need to feel like a charity case if he was offered a cup of coffee because that’s what many people do when a friend stops by their home. I think it would humanize the situation more than just exchanging money for services. In any case, I still think the overall sentiment of the piece is lovely and thought-provoking.
Trinity says
This is a wonderful read-thank you Jeff!
Candace says
This is very interesting to me as last night I watched “The Queen of Versailles” on Netflix, the story of the Siegel’s and their Westgate Resort saga. The story of “too much” is “never enough”. Their 16 year old adopted daughter put it rather simply, she came from poor and now she was rich and she didn’t want to forget her former self as being rich made you want more and more. Then they fell on hard times (for them, probably not for us ‘common’ people), it would be interesting to know how they are doing now.
Alexis says
Good for you for even noticing someone with less. My experience with those that live oversize “bigger” lives is that they do not care for others. I hope your able to step up and help him get into a apartment and give of your time to better his life. I worked with the hiomeless for 30 years and they are you and I, with more difficult circumstances. Glad you are realizing the “bigger” lifestyle is not worth living. I never experienced a “bigger lifestyle, never had a dishwasher, never lived in more then one bedroom, never had a walk in closet ( silly who needs it really ). I see those with all that “bigger” mentality dreadfully unhappy and not living meaningful lives. I live in less then 700 square feet with my daughter. We have a fabulous life that is authentic, without material posessions and we enjoy every day in our garden, reading, cooking fro scratch eveyr day and pursuing hobbies instead of shopping. Living on less really does give you a better perspective that is more real and brings more value to your life. It also is good for the soul! I would suggest you try to do away with as many material posessions as you can, that is a start. Then you will feel free and begin to truly appreciate life
Femininity Revisited says
Loved this and can’t wait to read more! We could all use a ‘Clarence’. Thanks for sharing.
NurseMarta says
humanity at its best. love this video, it touched my heart in so many ways
Jeff Goins says
Love the heart behind this book. Thank you both for sharing it.
Priscilla says
Mr. Becker, I look forward to and treasure each new post by you.
But holy smokes, this one brought tears Thank you for sharing this.