Hello, my name is Mark and I am a minimalist. I have been living a minimalist lifestyle for over decades now and I can say that it has changed my life for the better. I have less clutter, less stress, less expenses, and more happiness. I have learned to appreciate the simple things in life and to focus on what really matters.
But two months ago, everything changed. I was drafted into the military service, as part of the mandatory conscription in Finland. I had no choice but to leave my minimalist home, my minimalist belongings, and my minimalist philosophy behind. I had to enter a world of violence, waste, and chaos.
The Horror of Military Life
The military life is the opposite of minimalism. It is full of unnecessary rules, regulations, and rituals. It is full of excessive equipment, clothing, and weapons. It is full of noise, pollution, and destruction.
I hate it here. I hate waking up at 5 a.m. every day to do pointless exercises. I hate wearing the heavy and uncomfortable uniform that makes me sweat and itch. I hate carrying the bulky and dangerous rifle that weighs me down and threatens me with death. I hate eating the bland and unhealthy food that makes me sick and fat. I hate living in the cramped and dirty barracks that make me claustrophobic and depressed.
The Despair of Losing Myself
The worst part is that I feel like I am losing myself. I feel like I am losing my identity, my values, and my purpose. I feel like I am losing my connection to minimalism, to nature, and to myself.
I miss my minimalist home, where everything had a place and a function. I miss my minimalist belongings, where everything was useful and meaningful. I miss my minimalist philosophy, where everything was simple and clear.
I don’t belong here. I don’t fit in here. I don’t want to be here.
The Hope of Escaping
I have four more months left in this hell. Four more months of suffering, of struggling, of surviving. Four more months of counting the days, the hours, the minutes.
But I have a plan. A plan to escape. A plan to end this nightmare.
I have a rope. A rope that I found in the storage room. A rope that I hid under my bed. A rope that I will use tonight.
Tonight, when everyone is asleep, I will sneak out of my room. I will go to the bathroom. I will lock the door behind me. I will tie the rope around my neck. I will hang myself from the ceiling.
I will die.
I will die as a minimalist.
I will die free.