Living La Vida Simpla

     I've been doing a lot of thinking this week, which I'm sure no one at all is surprised by.  Thinking and worrying about all kinds of things is something that I do a lot, probably more than anyone realizes.  I turn stuff over in my head constantly.  I fret about this, I worry about that.  I worry whether I'm doing my job properly.  I think about what I want to do with the rest of my life.  I get anxious about when I don't have everything figured out, and I get anxious about getting anxious.  It's not somewhere I'd encourage anyone to be.
     But in the middle of all this thinking, I've started becoming acutely aware of just how much of my thought is taken up by stuff that, in the long and short of it, doesn't really matter all that much.  I've slowly started becoming more and more in favor of a minimalist approach to life.  This seems to be a big buzz - word these days; you can find any number of books (and blogs) about how to lead the simple life, so of course my comments aren't anything ground - breaking.  But knowing the why behind the concept appeals to me, and as I approach this way of thinking, I see now why people intuitively start to perhaps "go simpler" as they get older.
    For lack of a better way of saying it, it's pretty straightforward -- the more things I have in my life to manage or care about or worry about, the more energy and emotional devotion these things require, and as a result, the less I have to devote to the things that truly matter.  I can name on about one hand the things that really matter to me, when it comes down to it: my wife, my daughter, my son.  My career.  My health (running).  That's about it.  Notice what I left out?  My God.  That's what I always leave out, when He should come first.  No, not first, but only.  He should be the only thing that we worry about or focus on, because He cares so very deeply for us that all these other things "will be added unto" us.  Now I know, I can hear a lot of you shaking your head and saying ". . .naive fool. . .", etc., etc..  I didn't say I had it all figured out.  I don't.  Not even close.  But to at least feel like I'm headed into the right path on this journey of discovery is a very, very good feeling.
   All this being said, I'm closing for now.  It's mildly snowing outside, and I've got a son to take to get a doughnut, and a daughter to reunite with today after not seeing her for a week.  This day, at least, should be a complete day.  Thank you, thank you, God-Father.