By Kris Keller
“The people and programs associated with Simply Living have been an important part of our lives for over 25 years. We have been inspired and educated to be better parents, more effective communicators, a stronger couple, financially stable, and effective agents of change in our community.” – Kristopher Keller
I was recently asked to expand upon these comments that I made on a review about Simply Living.
In the interest of transparency, since retiring 6 years ago we no longer live in Columbus, having returned to my hometown about 30 miles east. The main thing that I want to say is that Simply Living changed the trajectory of my life.
My wife and I were introduced to ideas and people who showed us different ways to relate to the world,
each other, and the people around us. We learned to think about ourselves as part of nature as opposed to apart from nature. We learned simple conservation techniques to reduce our footprint on the planet.
Exposure to Nonviolent Communication has improved all the relationships in our lives. Our relationships are deeper, more honest and more meaningful. We were exposed to the idea of intentional communities and discovered a whole new way of thinking about community.
We were introduced to the book and classes based on Your Money or Your Life and established a whole new relationship with money and understanding of the influences of the corporate world we inhabit.
We learned gardening skills that we are looking forward to using on the new land we acquired last winter. The concept of Permaculture has influenced the landscape plans of our new little homestead in the country.
Through WCRS, we have been exposed to unconventional thoughts on politics, economics, and what it means to be a citizen.
Our exposure to vegan and vegetarian cooking gave us tools we needed to improve our health and for me to recover from a series of life-threatening events.
Six years after moving away, these things still inform our relationships and actions. Simply living has been a resource for improving ourselves and the world around us. I believe that, before Simply Living, I was sleepwalking through life. My life was working, watching commercial TV, and going to the mall with not much more thought behind it. I was following the script for success in America. It felt hollow, yes. I thought there must be something more, but what?
Well, do you remember in The Matrix when Neo must choose between the red pill and the blue pill? The blue pill to continue living in the Matrix and the red pill to show me reality?
Yeah, Simply Living is the red pill.
