For me it means many things, in the main my commitment to enjoying and appreciating sophisticated pleasures in their least aggrandized forms. Being considerate of others, choosing kindness and civility over bombast and self-absorption. Appreciating character first and achievements second. Knowing that I can disagree with someone passionately without losing sight of what makes them who they are.
I think decadent minimalism is especially important in this time of doing without. Yes, I am making far less money than I did when I had both a full-time and a part-time job. Yes, I worry about how I am going to pay my bills, save for that trip to Japan that I have been wanting to take for the last few years, if I get H1N1 and can't work, etc ad infinitum. I am, however, committed to appreciating the beauty in everything from a friend getting a new job whilst I am still searching, the beauty of the drive down Chicago's Drive on the often-packed bus, getting a smile from a little boy who thinks my attempt to turn a silicone mini mitt into a hand puppet is funny. I can come out of adversity a bitter shrew or someone whose gratitude and genrousity remain intact, thriving even.
I hope you'll join me.
