I recently spent a week with my younger sisters, and through this experience I was reminded of my own childhood. I am thankful for this time with them and the moment to reflect.
While growing up, Disney movies and Nickelodeon were keen influences on my way of life. One of my favorites still rings true today — Disney’s version of “The Jungle Book.” Its catchy song “Bear Necessities” has given me a few “ah-ha!” moments while replaying it in my head.
“Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worry and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
That’s why a bear can rest at ease
The simple bare necessities of life.”
Yes! The simple bare necessities of life and the ability to live with little and be grateful for what you have now — this is what I often find myself telling my yoga students, and for good reason.
After a devastating house fire in 2011, my husband and I were left with nothing but the clothes on our back. We were graciously sent donations from our fantastic Beaufort community, and I learned quickly what it was like to live with bare necessities. Food, clothing and a hotel room for shelter were what we had. This experience quickly shifted our definition of what was necessary and what was important. People, not things, were most important now.
How often do you find yourself wanting something, only to feel when you get it you begin to lack the need for it? How much time do we spend creating this idea that more is better?
This moment in my life — when we were down to our bare necessities — I felt completely free. It was an enormously cleansing experience, not only to begin again in such a new way, but to experience the feeling of community, compassion and love allowed for me to overcome attachment. I had nothing more to be attached to — no more memorabilia, no more old journal stories, no more clothes, and no more materialistic items — simply because it was all gone.
It really was almost as if “The Jungle Book,” this simple piece of my childhood, was coming to mean something more than just a movie. After realizing the “bear necessities” in my life, and how incredibly freeing they allowed me to feel, this particular lyric rings true in my life now:
“And don’t spend your time lookin’ around
For something you want that can’t be found
When you find out you can live without it
And go along not thinking about it
I’ll tell you something true —
The simple bare necessities of life will come to you!”
Back in 2011, when we were feeling lost, alone, and confused, the necessities we needed showed up the same day with an outpour of donations from the wonderful people I am still grateful to have in my life.
“If you let go of worry — let go of strife
Turn to trust and gratitude and get on with your life
The most amazing things will come to you.”
Enjoy, be grateful and appreciate the simple “Bear Necessities” of life. (this lyric is my addition) ;)
Peace + Love!