Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Evelyn Rennich of Smallish Blog.
“Wherever you are, be all there.” —Jim Elliot
Minimalism, at its heart, is focusing time, energy and resources towards more important aspects of life.
For most people, this intentional fixation results in a widespread clearing of clutter. “Life clutter” may take on many forms: physical belongings, technological fillers (such as alarms or apps), non-life-giving calendar items, even unhealthy relationships.
The beauty and allure of minimalism is it produces a sparklingly streamlined life in which priorities are well-ordered and there is room for that which is most important to each person.
For me, this means relationships. My relationships with my family and close friends are paramount, but so many times those closest to us receive our worst because we are over-committed, over-tired and over-stimulated.
Often, our loved ones only receive a fraction of the love, joy, support, humor, or friendship we have to offer because we are distracted. Busy. Stretched too thin.
Minimalism can help us give our best to the people who want to see it most.
The American Chaplaincy uses a term called “ministry of presence.” The idea generally translates to the act of blessing hurting people merely with a presence—by showing up. By being there. By offering tangible support, whether it’s in the form of a hug or a steaming bowl of soup.
I love the concept and name “ministry of presence.” I’d like to tweak the definition a little; let’s think of it more as a daily choice to be intentionally present in relationships.
As we move through each day, it is easy to be physically present but mentally and emotionally elsewhere. You know what that looks like: you might be in the room but disengaged from the conversation or the needs of those around you. Maybe you’re in the house but checked out and browsing online. Maybe it means you’re busy stuff-managing (organizing) again. Maybe it looks like forgetting that a friend has surgery scheduled this week.
In our busy, over-planned, over-stuffed world, it’s easy to forget that every encounter we have with another human being provides the opportunity to bless, to shed light upon, to pay attention to, whether they are in pain or not.
Embracing a simpler, clearer, more pared-down lifestyle can provide the energy and focus needed to concentrate on the people in front of us, whether it’s a dear friend over for coffee or the silky-haired child in my lap waiting for a story.
Less stuff, fewer commitments, and fewer distractions allow my main priority of relationships to shine through.
When life is slower and intentionally styled to value relationships, I am primed to interact better. To actively listen. To offer a fully formed thought instead of an absent-minded “hmmm.” To engage with a little bit of humor. To grasp someone’s hands and share a spontaneous prayer with them. To offer affirmation in the form of direct eye contact. The opportunities to share what you uniquely have to offer are endless.
Minimalism provides room for ministry of presence to be a way of life.
One of my favorite quotes is by a missionary and author Jim Elliot: “Wherever you are, be all there.” That’s ministry of presence. That’s the gift of being truly you, wholly present in every conversation.
Minimalism can clear the rubble to reveal you—able to be all you—fully present in each interaction. The ripples of such a decision will provide a valuable gift to everyone you meet.
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Evelyn Rennich writes about her attempts to live modestly, frugally, and green at Smallish Blog. You can also find her on Twitter.
Great post! It is so easy to spread ourselves too thin, but one of the things I love about simple living is that it forces us to be intentional about what we allow in our life. This is so true when it comes to distractions that take us away from what really matters.
I have definitely been recognizing where I fall short as a mom and friend lately. I am so busy trying to keep up with my responsibilities (and FB) that I find the day goes by, and I haven’t made a real connection with my children or husband or the friend in need of a friend. Your post here is full of gentle truth and wisdom. Thank you for the reminder to be present with those we love and those in need. I am hoping that, through the process of minimizing the distractions (of all kinds), I will live the life I am truly called to live.
I love this. I must admit, I’m nowhere near living a minimalist lifestyle, but I’m making a start and already feel better.
One of the clearest, most noticing reads on minimalism!! Now I have a better explanation for getting rid of toys, saying “no” to overcommitment, keeping the living room lean.
Because of the important them.
Thank you.
Fantastic post Evelyn, and so correct. Time is a finite resource and when we focus our quality time on those we care about it means the world. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Anthony!
I agree that being present and fully-engaged in things you enjoy (family, hobbies, etc) is a worthy pursuit. I help people reorganize their lives for more enjoyment and the first steps in that process is defining what you love and then eliminating that which does not really matter. That’s why I enjoy following becoming minimalist.
I do think there are some aspects of doing things we love that may be necessary but also fall into the “busy” category. For example, being a better friend is important to me, but keeping up with every new detail is exhausting (to me), Tools like social media or email help streamline the collection of that information, but they are often viewed as a distraction to purge. I guess my main point is that even in the pursuit of minimalism there may be room for “stuff” that helps us do it or automate certain tasks.
Great point, David. You’re right that “simple” and “minimalistic” or even “being a good friend” looks different for all of us! Thanks for your poignant thought. :)
“The beauty and allure of minimalism is it produces a sparklingly streamlined life in which priorities are well-ordered and there is room for that which is most important to each person.”
I love this sentence so much. Being present and mindful are aspects of family life that I am really trying to focus on. ‘Playing’ doesn’t come naturally to me, but I’ve learned to love play by thinking of it as an exercise in mindfulness. Staying in the present moment, being aware of everything as it happens instead of letting my thoughts wander – so much harder than it sounds! Thanks for this post.
Evelyn, your “presence” in our friendship truly is a gift. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and inspiring others to love people well. XOXO
Sweet friend! Right back at you. :)
I love this! I need to minimalize a lot of things in my life. I’m working on it, and I think I’ve gotten better half way through the year as I made a goal at the New Year to simplify my life in ways that need it. I have, but I’m still working on other areas.
Joshua, I have a question for you: Are you vegetarian or vegan? Do you consume dairy products, leather, etc. I’m asking these questions because I watched a horrible video about the insane things “human people” do against animals and I am trying to stop with everything that comes from the animal industry.
Thanks and waiting for your response.
http://www.anda.jor.br/10/06/2015/gravidez-matadouro-horror-industria-laticinios-revelado