Can you live a simple and beautiful life

In this modern world where demands of living can be overwhelming, can you live a simple and beautiful life? Here’s a story I want to share with you written by Fr. Jerry M. Orbos,SVD , in his book, “ Just a Moment,”: “My classmate, Fr. Charlie Cruz, SVD,  from Orani, Bataan, passed away last 2005.  He spent 19 years of his 60 years in his life in Togo, Africa as a missionary. Only God knows what sacrifices and hardships , he went through in the service of his King, Christ the King. Also, only God knows the love he shared silently with so many people as a public school teacher before he entered the seminary, and as a formator and a confessor even while he was going through dialysis these past six years.

I am grateful to God for the simple but beautiful life  he lived. After he died, I looked at his bare room. He left behind only a few clothes, some photo albums, and some memorabilia here and there. Not much really, but he brings with him a bag full of love, lots of simple, pure, concrete love, to lay before the feet of Christ the King.”

As I grow older ,  wants and needs no longer a part of my agenda in life, unlike before.  Now that  my  five children are all grown-ups and have families of their own,  I have plenty of time in my hands  with  not much to attend to and care of.  I am more content with the blessings that God has showered upon me and  am more fulfilled . Unlike when I was younger and my children were growing-up, I had many wants and needs. Now at this stage of my life,  there’s nothing like living simply  and be in constant communication with the Lord, and of my sisters and children. Despite of  the  odds, and  the aches and  pain that I  sometimes feel  in my body,   life is still beautiful.

Paula Lawes of “Lifehack website,” expresses, “Even with its struggles and difficulties life can be beautiful, depending what you focus on. A beautiful life is one that makes you feel fully alive.” With this in mind, she came up with a few steps on how to live a beautiful life:

• Always be grateful for the blessings and gifts you already have. Take time out to be thankful even   tough times will set up for a happier, more peaceful existence.

• Work out what a beautiful life means to you. If you don’t feel that your life is beautiful right now, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself,  what it is that you think is missing? Is it a purpose, inspiration, happiness, or something else?  What it is that is keeping you  stuck in this cycle of unhappiness? Is it fear of failure, rejection or making the wrong choices? Whatever it is, none of these are good enough reasons to be unhappy or not living a beautiful life.

• Give away more love to feel more love. Make your beautiful life more meaningful by giving love to everyone you meet in the form of kindness, understanding, tolerance, acceptance, and generosity.

• Practice forgiveness. How can you have a beautiful life if you are full of resentment and bitterness? You can’t, is the simple answer. Forgiveness, however, is not about letting someone off the hook;  it’s more about letting yourself off the hook. It sets you free.