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The things that remain / Ode to the smartphone

smart-phoneAlways am I writing posts about how we should minimize our material possessions; how we should toss all the things in our lives that add no value to it. There are many that would argue that this is a very ……. negative theme to build a lifestyle around; ya know, “A lifestyle focused on the stuff you get rid of” is a POV many have about this life. It doesn’t sound exactly uplifting or exciting. I understand, I really do. But please understand, this philosophy is a foundation to allow us more time and less distraction so that we can focus on the things that do add value to our lives.

I suppose I could write about all the things in our lives that remain. The problem with that, is that the things that remain are the things that add value to our lives, and one persons values are going to be wildly different than the next persons. So one persons possessions are going to be different than another’s just for that reason. In truth, I can only speak about the things that add value to my life. Or, I can write about the things I have observed add value to most (or many) peoples lives. And hopefully in reading about it, we can come to appreciate those things even more. So this will be the first of many posts where I pay respect to the wonderful things I have noticed many of us minimalists have deemed valuable enough to keep.

The first and most important of these things is the wonderful multi-tool known as the smartphone. This particular tool is uniquely designed for minimalists just because it is such a versatile tool all rolled up in a small package. It is the Swiss Army Knife of modern America.

I recall once telling a co-worker of mine that I was a minimalist, and they said (with some degree of sarcasm): “If you’re a minimalist, than why would you need a fancy pansy smartphone” (I get this stuff from people a lot). To them I replied “I have this versatile phone just because I’m a minimalist.” I went on to explain to them exactly what I am going to explain right now.

Thanks to owning a smartphone (from here on in going to be called a “mobile”), I no longer have to own or carry a:

  1. Calendar
  2. GPS
  3. Notepad
  4. Camera
  5. Mobile music device (MP3 player, iPod)
  6. Flashlight
  7. Watch
  8. Coupon
  9. Ticket
  10. Book (novels and such)
  11. Laptop Computer
  12. Pedometer
  13. Photo album
  14. Calculator
  15. Compass

And these are just the things that I value. In all likelihood, whatever we value …….. they have an app for that. Download the apps that add value, delete the ones that don’t (digital minimalism). Easy peachy. With a mobile, one can run an entire small business.

The mobile is in fact the one device responsible for ushering in the age of the modern minimalist; the pinnacle in a series of technological developments in the past couple decades (at least) that have allowed us to live smaller while still staying current to the times.

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Be kind

kindnessLife has only three very basic values and one of them is to create and maintain positive relationships (get my book to learn about the other two values). I can go into great detail about the importance of cultivating strong family relationships, friendships, and romantic relationships (lovers). But I wouldn’t be telling anyone anything we don’t already know.

But what about our relationships with neighbors, acquaintances, and even strangers?  “Huh. Uhhhh we don’t have relationships with neighbors, acquaintances, and strangers. That’s kinda what makes them neighbors, acquaintances, and strangers. Duh.” I’m afraid that I strenuously disagree.

We do in fact have a relationship with every single person we pass by in a hallway. It’s small, subtle, too small to even be noticed, but it’s  there nonetheless. In fact, these tiny relationships are the pieces of the relationship we have with all of humanity as a whole. Our relationship with humanity is reflected in how we treat strangers; this is obvious. But what might not be so obvious is that how we treat strangers will determine our relationship with humanity; our feelings toward people in general.

With that being said, BE NICE TO PEOPLE. To everybody. If there are some neighbors/acquaintances/strangers that we don’t particularly care for, or make questionable decisions, just remember that since they’re neighbors/acquaintances/strangers in the first place we don’t know enough about their situation. So we are in no position to judge. So be kind.

Cultivating a positive relationship with humanity is simple. Here are some tips/examples:

  • If we see an elderly woman having trouble lifting her groceries into her car in the parking lot, help her out.
  • Smile at people.
  • A simple “Good morning” goes a long way.
  • Courtesies:
    • Let someone ahead of us in line or in traffic.
    • Give up our seat to a person in need (particularly the pregnant or elderly).
  • Idle chit chat while waiting on line.
  • If you see something, say/do something:
    • A small child left alone.
    • A bag left alone.
    • An abusive relationship in progress.

These are just some examples off the top of my head. But by now my point is clear.

In the eyes of God we are all brothers and sisters. It’s time we started treating each other like it. Furthermore, we never know what may be going on in someones life. A small act of kindness could renew someone that would otherwise be broken.

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A busy life vs a full life.‏

LovePassionThere is a very distinct difference between a busy life and a full life. Let me start by saying that a full life is not necessarily busy, and a busy life is not necessarily full.

A busy life is one where there is a lot going on. There is next to no leisure time (and leisure is important too), and there is just one obligatory task, after another, after another. Other than the fact that there is no leisure time, there is nothing inherently wrong with this kind of life. However, I have personally found that many people who have an abundance of “obligations” have many obligations that add no value to their lives. They are just satisfying these obligations because they think that they are supposed to; “Isn’t this what normal people do?”

Example: Among the many obligations that Mr. busybody has on any given week, he mows his lawn. It’s a task he despises. But, grass grows, so the owner of a property is obligated to mow it. Mr. busybody is a single gentleman with no children and has such a busy career oriented life, that he never has time to use his outdoor property for anything. No barbecues, no volleyball, no chilling out on a hammock, no gardening, nothing. If Mr. Busybody has no time to use his yard, then he has no real reason to maintain it either. i.e. It adds no value, and functions only as a drain on his life. A better use of his time would be to sell the house and live in a smaller place with no yard. Once that is done the amount of time freed up from doing unnecessary chores is immeasurable.

Admit it, we all know somebody in this situation (and some of us are that somebody).

A full life is one where we engage only in activities that give us a sense of purpose. A life filled with love and passion. Consequently, ALL the activities and obligations in such a life add value to it. This life need not be “Up at dawn, down at midnight” kind of life. This is not what I would call a “busy” life, but definitely a focused life.

So I pose these questions to all my readers out there: Are you living a busy life? Is your life full, focused?