Author Archives: Saralyn Weitzman

Living Like Grandma: Ideas for a Simpler Life

by

I love looking through old photographs. They carry such wonderful stories and memories. It’s ironic, I think, that the faded colors of old photographs often speak of a life that seemed much more colorful than it is today. Maybe it’s just me, but there is something so sweet about the “olden days”—the days when our grandmothers grew up. Photos from that time beckon me back and create a desire within me for a simpler life.

Life today is different than it was back then. Everything has become faster, bigger, and flashier. But does that mean it has also become better? Perhaps in our quest for advancement, we have let go of some of the key qualities of life that make it so sweet. Maybe Grandma’s stories are true and life really was much more full and lighthearted back in the day.

If we could, many of us would travel back into those old photographs and embrace that time when life seemed simpler. But since going back is not an option, here are some ideas to help you find your own simpler (and yet much fuller) life in the here and now:

1. Start a garden. Plant some wildflowers or herbs, even if it’s only in a clay pot inside. The fragrance they omit and the care spent growing them will bring a sense of peace and purpose to your soul and help your own roots grow and find nourishment in the midst of this fast-paced life.

2. Cook from scratch. Not only does it taste better to make your own food, but it’s also healthier and much more rewarding to eat. You’ll find yourself savoring each bite instead of  scarfing it all down like we all-too-often do with the rest of life.

3. Walk. In my humble opinion, people were not made for flying at 70 miles an hour down interstates. Now obviously, we cannot all just get up and walk everywhere (and I especially don’t recommend walking on the interstate), but there is nothing more refreshing than taking a stroll around the neighborhood at dusk after a good home-cooked meal, or starting your day off with a sunrise stroll through the park. Try walking more often and see if it doesn’t boost your spirits and enhance your appreciation for the little things in life.

4. Turn it off. Technology is undoubtedly a helpful invention. Many of us need it for work, banking, communicating and especially for school. However, like all good things, too much can be bad. Something is wrong when we are more present in cyberspace than we are in the living room with the flesh and blood family surrounding us. So step away from the computer, turn off your phone, pull out your earphones, and silence the television every now and then. Instead, enjoy the gratification of writing with pen and paper, hearing the sounds of real life all around you, and having face-to-face conversations with beautiful souls.

5. Cut the clutter. We have too much stuff. It not only crowds our living spaces, but also creates less room in our hearts and minds. It tends to clog the tubes where our creative juices flow, and it cause stress in our lives. Seriously, ladies, who needs 50 pairs of shoes? We have been tricked into believing that possessing more stuff is equal to possessing more joy and success in life, but the reality is that less is more—the less we have, the richer our lives can be.

This is just the beginning of a long list of things that we can do to simplify life. But when it comes down to it, it is not about the list of things we can “do”—that’s what got us into this busy mindset in the first place. It’s about pausing and just being. Be still. Be thoughtful. Be present. There may be a few more skyscrapers blotting the horizon now than there were back in the day, but it is not too late for us to return to our roots and live a little more simply like Grandma did.

 

Photo credit: http://life.time.com/

Eyes that Listen

by

“A good listener hears what you do not say.” -Unknown

One of my communication professors once said, “You cannot not communicate.” I found this odd, because in my mind, I could shut my mouth whenever I pleased and put an end to any conversation. However, by simply staring into my eyes with her look of definite supremacy, this professor of mine showed me that I was terrifically wrong; communication is not limited to mouths and ears.

I’ve learned that body language and gestures say worlds more than our simple utterances ever could. Take, for example, a hug which says without speaking a word, “I care for you, I am here for you, and I think your hygiene is so great that I am willing to touch you.” Or consider a scowl, which expresses, “I am angry and displeased and probably forgot to brush my teeth.” A blank stare says either, “I am sorry, where am I?” or “You have got to be kidding me right now.” A shining smile expresses true happiness better than saying, “I am happy” ever could. Even with sealed lips, closed eyes, and a bag over the head, a person is communicating to the world by symbolically saying, “Leave me alone.”

Our actions and expressions truly do speak. Undoubtably the spoken word plays a huge role in effective communication, but we cannot forget the importance of body language. Oftentimes, the deepest levels of communication occur in a grin, a tear, a knowing nod, a look of despair, or a hopeful thumbs up. Even silence can have an important message to convey.

So let’s be careful not to let our ability to hear deafen us to the things that are unheard, nor our ability to speak hinder us from expressing ourselves in various ways. Let’s learn to listen not only with our ears but with our eyes. Let’s speak not just with our mouths but with our hugs, smiles, winks and nods. We cannot stop communicating, so let’s learn to continually communicate well.

 

Photo Credit: 500px.com

Beautiful Cravings

by

“Beauty deprived of its proper foils and adjuncts ceases to be enjoyed as beauty, just as light deprived of all shadows ceases to be fully appreciated as light.” – John Ruskin

I love beauty. I crave it, try to create it, and constantly capture it in my life. Physical beauty, stylish clothes, interior design, captivating pictures, artistic food presentations—everything that sparkles and shines—catches my eye.

But I’ve seen a problem with beauty. At some point, the things that are most lovely to me never fail to crumble and show signs of wear and tear. Suddenly they are not as shiny when brought into the light, aquiring scratches and growing mold…failing to consistently measure up to their beautiful requirements.  They’ve got flaws…

Flawed beauty? Is that an oxymoron? 

I always thought beauty couldn’t be broken or blemished, but I’ve begun to realize that beauty is not perfectionism. You see, beauty is supposed to be inviting, captivating, and healing. Perfectionism, however, is condemning, overpowering, and invokes jealousy. Beauty is meant to be light and cheerful. Perfectionism is by nature harsh and lifeless. Beauty lives in the hearts, eyes, and personalities of human beings. Perfectionism tries to hide feelings, character flaws, and the rawness of life.

If perfectionism is beauty, then beauty becomes un-relatable, and let’s face it—unachievable. That’s not at all what this world needs. Instead, it needs a form of beauty that embraces our brokenness, yet also shows us all we can become.

Beauty isn’t an airbrushed face, a perfect body, or a wardrobe that’s always in fashion. Rather, beauty is under-eye wrinkles from smiling often. Beauty is hands wrinkled from years of serving. Beauty is knees covered in dirt from working the earth. Beauty is wallets empty from giving, and well-worn houses from hospitality. It’s the worn out pages of a Bible. It’s cracked voices from singing so much, broken hearts from loving so many, and bruised feet from dancing so frequently. Beauty is bittersweet.

So we must learn to accept our flaws as part of the package of beauty. To be more relatable and open, and to crave a beauty that’s less than perfect—more than perfectionism ever could be. I want a beauty that points upward to the Creator, not a beauty that scares the world away by perfect façades. I want a life-giving, soul-stirring, awe-inspiring beauty that everyone in this world feels they can relate to and display. This is the true definition of beauty; the one we should all crave.

 

Photo Credit: unbeaujour.fr