"It is curious how many people have got the idea that to live a simple life a person must live like a hermit, or in a hovel, or in a bare room, adopt uncouth ways, and disregard everything either modern or beautiful. They do not seem to be able to get it into their heads that there are two ways of achieving the simple life.
One is by not wanting things, and being cheerful and happy without them. The other is steadfastly and bravely toiling for what you want- and getting it. A definite aim, or a definite determination to be cheerful in aimlessness; either of these is a recipe for the simple life.
Simplicity, with all that it implies, is a state much to be desired in thinking, in dressing and in living; but this does not mean crude, comfortless ways of doing things, or negligent ways of dressing. Make home happy; hold loved ones first in your heart; leave off fussing over fashionable ways of living; be natural, and you will be living the simple life, though you clean house by electricity, entertain hospitably, and you have every convenience known to man. The quality of the individual is what determines the simple life, never her surroundings."
Create your own Brocante Life Book, plan Christmas, set up routines and rituals or live life the BrocanteHome way with my guided workbooks and planners.
The Present Box This is one of a series of vintage Brocantehome posts I will be reviving. Originally posted in 2006. One of the Christmas rituals I treasure is finding a place in the house in which to store the presents I…
In keeping with my purely accidental Children’s Book theme of the day (Fairytales below and The Princess of Cozytown on The Vintage Housekeepers Circle) I hereby bring you three cute little images i have finally got around to scanning from the 1950’s…
When my mum and dad used to fight when Helen and I were little, we were always quick to take sides. Helen would never let a word be said against Mum and I was a Daddys girl through and through. Ostensibly because…
Oh dear. I’ve known about Polyvore since the day it opened it’s doors and knowing myself as I do, thought it best avoided, if I was to get anything done at all. And then today I was all curled up on the…
We would not be British if we didn’t complain about the weather. We may be a country in waiting for a Royal baby now overdue, but it remains our duty to revolve every conversation we have about the terrible torment that is…
I have said before, that to me, my relationship with this one hundred and sixty year old cottage is akin to a marriage. A marriage of two highly compatible souls that just like any other relationship, ebbs and flows but is retained…
I completely agree. I just spent a blissful hour, stretchout beneath the branches of an old tree, on a beautiful autumn day, reading a dusty old book. My idea of heaven. 🙂
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How true!
I completely agree.
I just spent a blissful hour, stretchout beneath the branches of an old tree, on a beautiful autumn day, reading a dusty old book.
My idea of heaven. 🙂
Simply stated, and so very true.
again..so true.
Very true, and written almost a hundred years ago–so why do so many people today never seem to figure this out?