An old man sitting by the river thinking

The Magic of a Simple Life

Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits. ~ Winnie the Pooh

(Note: My Grammarly program had a fit with this sentence, but I didn't change it a thing.)

These words have been credited to the creator of Winnie the Pooh, A. A. Milne.

However, research shows the words were first printed in February 1905 in three different newspapers on the same day, The Pittsburg Press, The Buffalo Sunday News, and The Boston Record. (Maybe news stories were harder to come by back then.)

All three papers told the same story. The story goes like this:

A bond salesman just back from Maine says he asked an old fisherman in a snow-bound hamlet what he did with himself evenings.

The reply was: “Oh, sometimes I sit and think, and then again I just sit.”

The wisdom of Pooh

Twenty-one years later, in 1926, Pooh's version of the line (quoted at the top of the page) was used in the Winnie the Pooh book

I like Pooh's version better. It describes me when I'm hiking. Sometimes, I hike and think, and sometimes, I just hike.

Both versions of this statement describe a simple, uncomplicated life.

I like the slow, simple life

Slow living is not about doing less. It's about living intentionally and making time for what matters most and what's most important to you.

Thirteen years ago, I downsized, sold most of my possessions, and moved into a 34-foot motorhome to enjoy a simple life.

At the end of last year, I simplified my life even more by selling and giving away almost everything in the RV. In other words, I downsized even more. I got rid of everything that wouldn't fit in two plastic bins that would qualify as checked luggage on Delta, and I moved to Costa Rica.

I've been here for two months, and half of what's in each bin has not been unpacked because I haven't needed it. That means I still have twice as much stuff as I need.

Most of the things I brought were computers and video equipment. The clothes I wear here are shorts and tee shirts. I wore jeans and a long-sleeved shirt on the plane because it can sometimes be cold on a plane.

What happens when you travel abroad?

Is travel the art of losing friends? I've heard it described that way. But I see it as just the opposite. I don't see some of my old friends as often, but I meet many new friends who are adventurous and are doing exciting things.

Kristin Wilson spent three months in Bulgaria writing her book Digital Nomads for Dummies, and now she's in Costa Rica putting the finishing touches on her upcoming book Moving Abroad For Dummies that is scheduled to be released on May 13th.

Running away from home is a great way to find uninterrupted time to write a book. I've written all of my recent books while living in Costa Rica.

Bottom line: I love the simple, uncomplicated life. A life without clutter, stuff, or schedules. And, like Pooh, sometimes I like to sit and think—or hike and think.