CIMPLE – A Curious Introvert's Musings & Photos about Life and Enjoyment

This week I’ve been reading The Swedish Art Of Aging Exuberantly: Life Wisdom from Someone Who Will (Probably) Die Before You and The Gentle Art Of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson. They caught my eye as I’ve been thinking about time and aging and trying to declutter/simplify even more. I thought her words about being in her eighties was a great reminder for any age.

“We have to try to find something other than the future to be happy about. And once you begin to look, you realize the things to look forward to are all around you. Like the present day, for example. I can be happy my body feels all right today, that the sun might be shining, that a good friend agrees to go for a walk with me, and that we can enjoy all that is happening outdoors. Like when the ground becomes blue from blossoming Scilla siberica in early spring, the heat and greenness of summer, and come autumn the yellow leaves of the trees and the bloodred Virginia creeper trying to nestle its way onto my balcony. Oops, I’m thinking about the future now. How hard it can be to follow your own rules!”