This past week during spring break we took a trip to the beach. Our plan was to just go for the day, find someplace to eat and let the kid and dogs run on the beach. When we set out that was my only expectation, to go for the day. That is until we got there. We made a trip to the ocean, ate lunch and then it began to rise in me. That spontaneity. That urge. What if... we just found a cheap hotel (that happily accepted two dogs...HA!), ran to the store and bought three toothbrushes and stayed the night!?
How fun. How exciting. How spontaneous.
We entertained the thought for a little bit, searched a couple hotels, and thought about what was planned for the following day. Mike was kind enough to give the green light even though it goes against his planning personality. But the more we thought about it (and all the extra cost) we decided to be responsible and stick to our plan.
So we went to the beach one last time, letting the dogs run and Rogan dig in the sand. Then we loaded into our car, tired, wind blown and headed home. We drank the water and ate the snacks I had packed and when we pulled into the driveway I was quite surprised how happy and content I felt.
Sometimes I think I get trapped in the cycle of consuming and wanting more. While spontaneity runs through my blood so does discontentment. It was like someone was whispering in my ear that day, "This is fun, but it could be even better if we stayed the night, ate out one more time and bought a new hoodie."
Consumption! Gimme more please!
The tune of my week seemed to be self discipline and I got a great opportunity to practice it. I don't plan to give up my spontaneous adventurous self, yet I also don't want to buy into the lie that I must do grandiose things to have fun. I started to justify in my mind that this is my personality...really? Or was it simply discontentment?
To deny the desires of my greedy heart felt surprisingly good. Maybe not in the moment, but the next day as we ate breakfast and enjoyed a lazy morning I felt a sense of 'this is good'. This is enough!
Maybe a little discipline isn't so bad after all. Contentment followed close behind the decision to live simply and I felt quite victorious in the end.
To say no to that restlessness inside me and resist the urge to grasp for one more thing.
I must say, it encourages me to remember that sometimes less truly is more.
Thank you for reading. May you find enjoyment and contentment in everything today. Whether is be simple, extravagant or spontaneous.
