My Vincentian Journey Towards Simplicity & Awareness
When did the word “simple” obtain a negative connotation?
While the dictionary may define simple as “easy”, I would like to disagree. I think simplicity is hard. Simplicity is hard because it requires deliberate actions and choices. To live simply and with humility is a core Vincentian value, and one that resonates deeply with me.
“Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” — Lao Tzu
To live simply requires daily reflection, another core Vincentian value. Reflection gives me time to be grateful for all that I have been given and what adds value to my life. Reflecting daily on what adds value to our lives allows us to simplify and make room for the important things in life. Living simply has made me more grateful for each and every thing I bring into my life.
That is why my mission statement is to live intentionally and deliberately.
Our intentions shape our actions. To live without intention is to live carelessly. We must make each action deliberate so that we understand how our actions, or lack of actions, affect others.
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” — Henry David Thoreau
So, how did my journey bring me here?
My Catholic faith has always been part of my identity. I grew up going to church every Sunday, praying before dinner every night, and attending Catholic elementary and middle-school. My parents even met at church if you can believe it. Of course, as a child, church was not my favorite activity. I sometimes argued about going, but most of the time I knew it wasn’t worth trying. I was going whether I liked it or not. The “no church, no brunch” warning usually did the trick to convince me. Despite the strong Catholic influence I grew up with, I didn’t truly feel that my spiritual and religious journey was finally my choice until I came to DePaul. No one was forcing me to go to church anymore. So when I did go, it felt like my choice. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t go as often as I used to before college, but finally being able to choose for myself was a transformative moment in my Vincentian journey.
My second transformative moment was deciding to study abroad in Budapest, Hungary. Living in Hungary for four months taught me to not take for granted what I have in the United States, to put myself in others shoes, to try to understand other cultures, and to broaden my perspectives.
Throughout my study abroad experience, I had the opportunity to visit several other countries on the weekends. I experienced generous hospitality and hygge in Copenhagen when a waitress let us take food to-go from a wonderful buffet. While visiting my friend Liza in Kiev, it was her birthday weekend. As is Ukranian tradition, the birthday guy or gal is expected to pay for a dinner with all their friends (quite opposite from the US). Even though the currency rate made everything extremely cheap for me in Ukraine, and the wage gap in Ukraine made her income small, Liza insisted on paying for our meal. It may have been because there was an American at the table (me), but her friends and I broke the rules and split the cost amongst ourselves despite Liza’s grumbles. Wherever I went in Europe, I received generosity and welcoming arms from many unexpected places.
Travel is extremely important to me because I believe it changes the way you view the world. I have seen Skid Row in Los Angeles, beggars prostrating in Rome, and the effects of war on Ukraine. I visited Auschwitz and stood on the same ground where millions died. I see the effects of homelessness in Chicago on a daily basis. I am grateful for each and every one of those experiences because they made me who I am today. Vincentians strive to listen to the dignity of every human story, and travel was instrumental in building my awarness to these stories.
“The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us.” — Pope Francis
Studying abroad was also my first introduction to living simply. I came to Budapest with only one suitcase and a carry-on duffel. I loved it. Stuff demands our time and our attention. When we remove things from our lives, we make room for what’s truly important.
It wasn’t until I returned from Budapest that I began to delve deeper into simple living, or minimalism as it is often called. I began reading books, following blogs, and listening to podcasts about it. I learned that minimalism is about evaluating not only what adds value to your life, but also how you can add value to the lives of others.
As Vincentians, “we form each other.” My Vincentian journey has also been shaped by some very important people in my life.
One is my mother. If I grow up to be half as selfless as my mom, I will have succeeded. She is a mother, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mentor, and one amazing nurse. She is the best hostess because she cares about those she is serving. She makes sacrifices for both our family and strangers. She took care of my grandmother for over a month after her surgery, changing her wound dressings each morning and night while simultaneously taking care of our family, working, and preparing for Christmas. She helped calm down a frantic woman who had climbed to the roof of a parking garage. She recently sponsored a young man preparing to become Catholic. Let’s just say my dad is one lucky guy.
I can’t only praise my mom without giving my dad some credit too. Eating dinner as a family each night is an important tradition in my family. Without fail, my dad cooks up something delicious. His meals bring our family together each night, giving us a moment to connect after our separate days. My parents instilled Vincentian values in me before I even knew what Vincentian meant or who Saint Vincent DePaul was.
As I graduate from DePaul and begin to write the next chapter of my Vincentian journey, I find myself pondering the golden Vincentian question: What must be done? How do I find a career that brings me meaning and fulfillment? How do I make a positive impact on the world?
Those are questions I’m still trying to figure out the answers to, but the quotes below have helped me remember that even small actions can have a great impact, and that it is okay to start small.
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” — Mother Theresa
“I do what I can and nothing more.” — Pope Francis
I am passionate about leaving the world a better place as I pass through it and helping others broaden their perspectives. To embody the Vincentian value of believing in lasting, systemic change, I would like to help others open their eyes, ears, and hearts to the world around them. I want to encourage others to travel, for travel not only feeds your soul and broadens your horizons, it also teaches you to live simply.
With graduation looming, my journey is about to take a big turn. Yet, I’m excited for what’s to come and I look forward to bringing the Vincentian values and lessons I have learned with me.
All of our humanity is dependent upon recognizing the humanity in others. — Archbishop Desmond Tutu
