POINTSOFVIEW | AT HOME ON EARTH
By Kyle Kramer
Making Room for Simplicity
Kyle Kramer
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ost of us have at least some inkling that planet. In the first part of the book, I reflect our world faces significant challenges, on four reasons why Christians (and others both now and in the near future. And though with spiritual commitments) might choose to it’s tempting to blame the greedy business adopt simpler lifestyles. executives, the filthy rotten “system” (however I start with the assumption that we all you define that), or the other political party, want to be happy and content—but that we most of us also have an uneasy concern that tend to fill our lives with unneeded clutter we each bear some responsibility. At the same and complexity, which bring us the exact time, I think many of us also opposite: overwork, exhaushave the nagging sense that tion, anxiety, debt, and loss our own lives may be missing of self-worth, among othsomething, are way too full of ers. Adopting practices of Simplicity offers things that aren’t life-giving— simplicity can help untangle a path toward or perhaps both. us from these challenges a deeper and It’s one thing to have so that we can live a more those feelings; it’s another centered, sane, and rewarding more authentic to discern, in a faithful and life, with less stress and with spirituality. honest way, what kinds of more time, freedom, pleasure, choices might contribute and satisfaction. to the healing of the world Simplicity also offers a and to a more personally path toward a deeper and fulfilling life. It’s out of those feelings and more authentic spirituality. At its core, spirthat discernment that I wrote Making Room: ituality doesn’t mean adding a bunch of stuff Soul-Deep Satisfaction through Simple Living, to your life. As many mystics and spiritual which was published earlier this summer by masters have taught us, it’s more about subFranciscan Media. tracting whatever gets in the way of a healthy My goal in writing this book was to relationship with God and others. To put it explore how to bring greater intentionality to another way, simplifying your external life the magnificent task of simplifying our lives can be an important aid to simplifying your so we can experience more personal satisfacinternal life, so that you can be more present, tion, freedom, and joy, but also so we can help humble, and grateful, and less encumbered support healthy communities and a healthy by ego-drive.
16 • September 2021 | StAnthonyMessenger.org
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Kyle is the executive director of the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center, which offers interfaith educational programming in meditation, ecology, and social compassion. He serves as a Catholic climate ambassador for the US Conference of Catholic Bishopssponsored Catholic Climate Covenant and is the author of Making Room: Soul-Deep Satisfaction through Simple Living (Franciscan Media, 2021). He speaks across the country on issues of ecology and spirituality. He and his family spent 15 years as organic farmers and homesteaders in Spencer County, Indiana.
