Simplicity Forged by Necessity: 3 Lessons I’ll Treasure Beyond the Grave

Things you own, own you

Anand Swamy
5 min readNov 30, 2023
Death Valley, 2002

We parted with the majority of our belongings and purchased a 20-foot trailer to travel and live in full-time.

It was in the middle of July 2022 and we were about five months into the full-time RV life.

The Castle Rock Campground in Central Utah was a temporary residence.

Other than Dot and George, a beautiful retired couple that managed the camp, we were alone the majority of the time.

It was quiet. We were nestled deep within carved sandstone cliffs. I’ve never felt so alone, yet connected to the surroundings around me.

Whether it was the Engelmann spruce trees, the gargantuan moths that would visit us in the evening, or the clear as the day-night sky, my soul felt at rest, despite going through one of the most challenging chapters of my existence.

This Was Done Out of Necessity

My wife’s years of health struggles with no answers were physically debilitating for her, and mentally draining for me.

However, through a network of coincidences interwoven with technology, she found refuge through Facebook groups and the answers she desperately needed.

--

--

Anand Swamy

I write about personal development and self awareness.