Live simply that others may simply live

It's a maxim we could all do well to adopt if we are serious about the issue of poverty.

I was having a conversation the other day with a friend and we were bemoaning the fact that moving is such a chore because of all the Stuff we accumulate and think is important. It really isn't. The less we have, the less we have to worry about. But more importantly we send a message into the world of increasing consumerism to stop producing so much. If we all reduced by even a fraction what we spend on unnecessary items, we would be making a significant contribution to conserving the earth's resources, and that in turn would have a knock-on effect on other issues.

Moving back to Australia has made me value the simpler things in life. Away from the crass commercialism of the busy shop-till-you-drop hub that Singapore has become, I delight in gazing out over the lie of the land, listening to the silence of the night, seeing nature in close-up. Tonight, as I arrived at the Canberra Baha'i Centre (set in a particularly beautiful location overlooking the surroundings), the sun was painting the sky pink and gold, and as I admired the view, my eye was caught by a group of kangaroos nonchalantly grazing in the nearby grass. They are regular visitors to the grounds apparently. I walked down the slope from the car park where the trees were still in their Spring finery and had to smile at the thought that it was just such small things that bring joy and contentment.

I remember the comments of a group of Junior Youth (12-14 yr olds) who visited a Baha'i community one year in Sarawak. There, conditions were spartan in comparison to Singapore, food was simple and there were relatively few modern conveniences. Yet it was obvious to the visitors that the people there were perfectly happy and really wanted for nothing. It was something of a revelation to the urbanised youth.

This year my friend said she didn't want anyone to give her any gifts. But maybe we could all make better choices when giving. Unicef, for example, has a range of ways to enable us to contribute to making life better for those in need - for $40, for example, you can give the gift of mosquito nets for a family to protect them from malaria. Better than something your relative will chuck into the back of a cupboard after a couple of weeks.

Charities like the Salvation Army or St Vincent de Paul take contributions of clothes, household items, toys and books. I have picked up some really good bargains for next to nothing and I am helping the environment by reusing someone else's discarded items in addition to contributing to helping the less fortunate. It's a double win-win!

Other ways to make a difference range from supporting local businesses, joining the library, buying fruit and vegetables in season, purchasing fairtrade products whenever possible and taking part in service projects.

It's simple really.