Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach. New York: Warner Books. 1995. Pages are not numbered. $21.00.
Have you ever longed for a book that fed your soul and helped you keep your life on track while fitting into that painfully narrow slot of time you have for reading in your day-to-day life? It’s quite a challenge to find one. A quick perusal of the shelves at the bookstore turns up an overwhelming list of possibilities. A trusted friend’s recommendation, however, helped me circumvent the frustrating task of wading through all the choices. Upon reading the opening pages of Simple Abundance, I felt as if I had come home.
It is so easy to lose yourself in the shuffle of life: the car pool, the weekly grocery shopping, and the unending errands. Confronted with the task of juggling so many roles and responsibilities, one can become a slave to them all. Faced by life’s relentless pace, time for reflection and solitude is often the first casualty. Forgetting personal priorities and putting aside dreams is a close second. Simple Abundance resonates with a woman’s soul, reminds us of the importance of inner direction and gives us courage to find space in our lives for quiet, and perhaps more importantly, to find time to resurrect and nurture buried visions.
Author Sarah Ban Breathnach’s book is brimming with profound reflections. At the beginning of her meaningful daily meditations she has a pithy quote or classic statement which provides the context for her thoughts. This book is, in essence, a story of struggle and personal transformation. Breathnach began one writing project only to discover that she was on a personal journey that would ultimately result in the completion of an entirely different book. It is the story of one woman’s search and unexpected discovery of an authentic calling for herself, and recognition and appreciation of the true joys in life. She writes eloquently of six threads of abundant living (gratitude, simplicity, order, harmony, beauty, and joy) that when “woven together, produce a tapestry of contentment that wraps us in inner peace, well-being, happiness, and a sense of security”. Simple Abundance is a beacon for each of us.
Breathnach has written a nationally syndicated column as a member of The Washington Post Writers Group and her feature articles have been syndicated by The Los Angeles Times. The author of Victorian Family Celebrations and The Victorian Nursery Companion, she also teaches the Simple Abundance principles in workshops, helping women reorder their life priorities. In addition, Breahthnach is founder of the Simple Abundance Charitable Trust, a nonprofit bridge group between charitable causes and the public.
The beauty of Simple Abundance is that every woman, whatever her circumstance, can manage a few moments each day to read the one- or two-page reflection on life and living. Whether you are looking for a passage to ponder briefly or seeking something to study in depth each day, you will find this book satisfying. No matter where you are in your life- comfortable, dissatisfied, or looking for a challenge- this book’s wisdom has the capacity to encourage, inform and stretch your heart and mind. It’s the kind of inspirational guide that sends you running to the bookstore for multiple copies so that you can pass them along to your women friends. You don’t want them to miss out on this gem of a book.