Lyle Lovett sings a song that so perfectly suits the minimalist way of life, it could be a theme song for minimalism. Not only does the story feel touching and honest, but also the way it is played is completely heartwarming. Guy Clark wrote the lyrics, but listening to Lyle play it, you can’t help but feel that he must be one really nice guy.
This lovely song is called “Step Inside This House”.
I’ll show you all the things that I own
My treasures you might say
It couldn’t be more then ten dollars worth
That brighten up my day
Here are the complete lyrics, or you can listen to this wonderful minimalist song. The song describes how the few things that mean the most may be those that are:
- imperfect
- don’t cost much or anything at all
- were made by hand by people we care about
- are well-worn or were pre-loved
Lyle had already been a successful artist for many years before he was married to Julia Roberts from 1993-1995 and this album was released in 1998. Clearly he had plenty of opportunity to enjoy an abundance of things and to sample all that life had to offer, yet this song is all about choosing the simple life.
So many people dream of becoming rich and famous and imagine all of the amazing things that more money can buy. Yet it seems that once that success is reached, the realization finally sinks in that there are really only a few things in our lives that are truly meaningful. The rest just gets in the way of appreciating those things properly.
This is a great reminder to appreciate what we already have. Just as minimalism is an ideal way to clarify what’s most important to us, gratitude is the key to meaningful abundance.
What are some things in your house that you cherish but were inexpensive? Are some of your most-loved possessions things that were found or made by hand?
For me, the first thing that comes to mind is a letter written by my grandfather. It is special to me for many reasons. Nowadays, any letter on paper is rare, but this was from 1990, when snail mail was still a standard form of communication. However, my grandfather wrote only a handful of letters to anyone in his entire lifetime. He’s not alive anymore and that is the only object I kept from him. He taught me a lot of important lessons in a gentle way. If you have ever seen a Jimmy Stewart movie, you’ve basically met my grandfather. No he wasn’t a move star, but he was exactly that kind of lovable.
Do you have a favourite sweater that is starting to fray, but you cherish? Certain things simply fit perfectly, make you look and feel absolutely superb, or are made so well that everything else pales by comparison. Perhaps you have a pair of slippers or shoes that you’ve had so long that they are starting look like crap, but they feel like home.
What do you value greatly that didn’t cost much?
You are warmly invited to jot a note in the comments section below !