Simplify Saturday: an Unintentional Fast from Technology and an Intentional Fast from Excess

Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be and becoming that person

(St. Therese of Lisieux)

Slowing Down

This past week has been an exercise in denial, admittedly in a first world sort of a way. Our internet has been maxed out for the past two weeks, so pages no longer instantly load. Not quite dial-up speed, but close. Often the graphics would be too much for our slow connection, and the page would load in basic HTML format.

Another blow to my technological privilege happened when I attempted to upgrade my computer from Windows 7 to Windows 10. In a few hours (since it takes so long to upload a page, much less an entire operating system), my perfectly working Windows 7 was gone, and an improperly installed Windows 10 limped into its place. So I was left with an useless computer. Andy took it in to be fixed (for free, thank you Windows Store!), but it was several days before I had it back. Then there was the matter of re-entering passwords, downloading my favorite web browser (2 hours to download what it would probably take 2 minutes to do with ordinary internet speeds), customizing, etc.

So in the meantime, I was down to a smartphone, which relied on significantly a slower internet connection. All this to say, I was forced to go back to a time in my life when I did not have instant gratification. I had to wait. And, as those who know me well would attest, I am not good at waiting.

However, since I am an all-or-nothing kind of a girl (an Abstainer in Gretchen Rubin terminology), this kind of out-of-my-control deprivation is actually helpful for me. I was able to get more done offline, which is actually in line with my priorities, anyway. The one thing that I really missed was blogging. So, I am excited to get back into it.

Fast from Clothing

No, this is not about joining a nudist colony. Because that would be highly impractical this time of year. Ha. Ha.

Have you heard about the 30-day clothing challenge or Closet Challenge? Basically, Leah Darrow and Sarah Kroger challenged each other to pick 7 items from their wardrobes, and wear only those 7 items for 30 days. The exceptions to this of course being things like underwear, socks, pajamas, and outerwear. The idea is to simplify the process of getting dressed in the morning (or afternoon, when I finally get out of my pajamas...). An added benefit is to recognize all of the excess that we consider absolutely necessary. i.e. Yes, I need all 10 pairs of pants, thank you very much!

Another blogger decided to modify this challenge to 7 items of clothing for 9 days, tying it to the Catholic tradition of the novena. Once I read about this latter challenge, I decided that I could do that. 9 days?!? Easy peasy. The blogger recommended also praying a novena to St. Therese during the challenge. I love novenas, and it's been a long time since I've prayed in that way. So, in Friday night impulsive fashion, I selected my clothes for the next week and a half, prayed my novena, and felt really good about myself.

So good, in fact, that I decided to take a {super fuzzy amateur}picture of what I would be wearing for the next 9 days (blue to blue, in case you were interested+plus a pair of jeans). {because real bloggers take pictures} 

Very quickly I realized this was going to be a lot harder than I thought. Mr. D proceeded to emit bodily fluids, which not-so-conveniently ended up on my beloved 7 items of clothing. Cue extra loads of laundry. I started to look longingly at the other items in my closet. I bargained, thinking, I'm cold. This sweater couldn't possibly count against my 7 items, right? By Day 4, I was getting pretty tired of my clothing options. Only two people knew about this challenge, anyway. I could totally get away with wearing other items, and just forgetting the whole thing.

But I also began to think about what it would be like to not have to do this challenge. Because, for a lot of people, having 7 items to choose from (in good shape, and readily cleaned by a washing machine) would seem like a luxury. And I thought to myself, it should still seem like a luxury. Even to me. It provoked questions, like, Why do I have all of these clothes, anyway? It clarified the difference between wants and needs. It made me rethink donating my ratty t-shirts, because, while yes, something is better than nothing, am I promoting the dignity of the human person by giving out of my trash pile?

That last thought reminds me of the widow's mite. I have been guilty of giving out of my excess (and not the nice stuff, either). But, try to convince me to give up that perfectly nice article of clothing that would otherwise just sit in my closet, waiting for me to either wear it once or finally give it away when it's out of style, moth-eaten, useless, and my sense of what is just, what I deserve, will fight back to the last breath. Because, gosh darn it, I paid good money for that!

What do I hope to take away from this experience? Awareness of what is really important. Not just for me, but for others, as well. I am reminded of the spirit of many of the Frank Capra films (which are near and dear to my heart), that spirit of compassion and connection to our fellow man: 

“Maybe it'll stop you trying to be so desperate about making more money than you can ever use? You can't take it with you, Mr. Kirby. So what good is it? As near as I can see, the only thing you can take with you is the love of your friends” (You Can't Take it With You).

Because people should always come before things.

I'm glad I stuck with it, and today is my last day of the challenge. I modified it to include being able to wear a sweater when I was cold, and undershirts (although I tried to stick to wearing only one undershirt and one sweater). The important thing was not the number of items, but the idea of lack of choice. If you are interested in taking on the challenge, I highly recommend it. Feel free to modify the number of items, and how many days you would like to do it. I found 9 days to be plenty for me! {more power to you, if you can do 30+ days}

What steps are you taking to simplify your life? What inconveniences can we offer up in solidarity with the less fortunate?