There's something really amazing about simplicity. The more simple things are, honestly the better it gets.
I think that's one of the reasons why I love visiting the Dominican Republic so much. (Other than my family, the music, and delicious food of course). Everything is so much simpler here, and I absolutely love that.
Living in America, we tend to always be such a fast-paced society, since everything is so advanced. We're always thinking about whats coming next. What's the next assignment, the next task, the next game, the next phone? Sometimes it can be hard to just slow down and enjoy the moment right now.
Here in the DR, everyone knows how to have a good time. I remember the morning of Christmas days, some of our neighbors here were just dancing and laughing outside the entire day. What started out as maybe two or three people, some speakers and good food, turned into a spontaneous dance party down our whole street. And even when the rain came and the music had turn off, the people started to sing, "Que la lluvia no nos para!" (And the rain doesn't stop us!) It was such a small, simple thing. Not an extravagant party in a fancy area, but a smiling group of friends and neighbors coming together. Simple.
I know that I for one, and many others I know, can really take what we have for granted in America. We complain about having the Iphone 6, instead of having the Iphone X, and don't realize that in other parts of the world it's a privilege for someone to have a phone at all. We think that these things are things that we can't live without, that we need to be happy or feel like we fit in. But whenever I'm here in the DR visiting my family and friends, things really get put into perspective. I see kids down the street who have near to nothing yet are still smiling and happy just throwing a ragged old ball down the street or riding their bikes to the nearest street corner. They might not have much, but they know that they don't need all those things to be happy.
Once when we visited a close friend of ours, Jose-Miguel, and his family, I was playing with his 10 year old daughter Lia. (Hey Lia if your reading this-I miss you like crazy!!) We were sitting around her bedroom floor and playing with her barbies and dolls, and I honestly I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. It reminded me of when I was 10, and when I didn't worry so much about clothes, and college, and what others thought of me. Everything was simple.
I feel like God has been showing me throughout this trip that the best things in life are the simple things. And that life isn't really as complicated as we make it out to be. God didn't create us to worry about what others think about us, but instead to know that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. God didn't create us to worry so much about our future, but to know that it's already in His hands. All we really need is His love, and to follow Him as He reveals His plans for us, which He promises are always good and for our best in the end. Not as complicated as the world wants us to believe.
But simple.
I think that's one of the reasons why I love visiting the Dominican Republic so much. (Other than my family, the music, and delicious food of course). Everything is so much simpler here, and I absolutely love that.
Living in America, we tend to always be such a fast-paced society, since everything is so advanced. We're always thinking about whats coming next. What's the next assignment, the next task, the next game, the next phone? Sometimes it can be hard to just slow down and enjoy the moment right now.
Here in the DR, everyone knows how to have a good time. I remember the morning of Christmas days, some of our neighbors here were just dancing and laughing outside the entire day. What started out as maybe two or three people, some speakers and good food, turned into a spontaneous dance party down our whole street. And even when the rain came and the music had turn off, the people started to sing, "Que la lluvia no nos para!" (And the rain doesn't stop us!) It was such a small, simple thing. Not an extravagant party in a fancy area, but a smiling group of friends and neighbors coming together. Simple.I know that I for one, and many others I know, can really take what we have for granted in America. We complain about having the Iphone 6, instead of having the Iphone X, and don't realize that in other parts of the world it's a privilege for someone to have a phone at all. We think that these things are things that we can't live without, that we need to be happy or feel like we fit in. But whenever I'm here in the DR visiting my family and friends, things really get put into perspective. I see kids down the street who have near to nothing yet are still smiling and happy just throwing a ragged old ball down the street or riding their bikes to the nearest street corner. They might not have much, but they know that they don't need all those things to be happy.
Once when we visited a close friend of ours, Jose-Miguel, and his family, I was playing with his 10 year old daughter Lia. (Hey Lia if your reading this-I miss you like crazy!!) We were sitting around her bedroom floor and playing with her barbies and dolls, and I honestly I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. It reminded me of when I was 10, and when I didn't worry so much about clothes, and college, and what others thought of me. Everything was simple.
I feel like God has been showing me throughout this trip that the best things in life are the simple things. And that life isn't really as complicated as we make it out to be. God didn't create us to worry about what others think about us, but instead to know that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. God didn't create us to worry so much about our future, but to know that it's already in His hands. All we really need is His love, and to follow Him as He reveals His plans for us, which He promises are always good and for our best in the end. Not as complicated as the world wants us to believe.
But simple.
Dulce Vida
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