Introduction

I came to parenthood by way of Zen practice, temple residency, a stint as a teacher, and a sudden and wonderful meeting with an old friend who soon became my husband. The two of us came together for many reasons, some explicitly known, some dimly felt.

One of the ideas that we shared, practiced and aspired to was the notion of "nothing extra." Deeper even than belief, we felt--we knew somewhere deep down, that a life lived simply with a minimum of "stuff," was best. We felt that a quiet life, focusing on the essentials, is best. We had both lived with very little, and we knew how much was Enough.

We lived together very happily for the first few months in my 300-square-foot studio apartment, sleeping on a mat we unfolded onto the floor at night. My husband took a leave from work to do some remodeling on our new flat, a fifty-year-old one-bedroom apartment in a vibrant old Portland neighborhood. When I moved in, I was in my mid-thirties, pregnant, and the owner of my first "real" bed!

Becoming a parent has very tangibly been part of the spiritual journey. I am opening this blog as a forum to share ideas, to mull over the practical and the abstract aspects of this vast new territory, and to inspire others in their own parenting.

This is not a exhortative blog, but it is an effort to explore "nothing extra." You won't catch me boasting about how I can raise my son with nothing but a piece of string and paperclip. (At least I certainly hope not. That would be irritating to read, and choke hazard to boot!) If my choices are not your choices, all can still be well in the world. But I hope to point out the choices we are making, whether we recognize them or not.

Some food for thought, then, to share in the comment section, or just ponder on your own. Can your parenting philosophy be summed up in a few words? What are your deepest hopes for your child(ren)? What does it mean to be a parent in this world of ours? I'll be working on my own responses to these questions, and more, as this work unfolds.