“Is there a natural simplicity we can restore in our lives that we can encourage by asking ourselves whether or not we can make something instead of buying it?”
I have mulled this question over since last week. It’s a difficult question to answer. Sometimes when our life makes us busy, making something for ourselves takes more time than buying it. However, there are trade offs on it, for instance, my primary social circle and community of friends values gifts that are handmade, not purchased. It’s not only the thought of giving the gift that counts, it’s the time and effort placed into that gift’s creation.
But does it make my life simpler? Often times, the answer for me is no. Sometimes the answer is a resounding yes! I can often whip together a small baby blanket in 2 or 3 weeks if I devote enough time to it. Or it can take me over a year, like my nephew’s blanket. It’s still a work in progress and he’s almost 9 months old!
But sometimes in making the decision to buy something, I will say to myself, how can I embellish this object with stuff I already have? In embellishing it, I customize it for myself, make it unique and unlike anything else another person can purchase. I find that supremely gratifying. I’ve had the mortifying experience of wearing the same dress as another guest to a large wedding. When you make your own dress, that will never happen.
I guess my personal conclusion is that desiring and inviting simplicity in our lives generally ends up being complicated. A paradox like any other.
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