What is simplicity?
Sometimes a thing is easier to define by saying what it is not
rather than what it is.
Simplicity is not…
…living a primitive life in a mud hut or becoming a back to the land “hippie…”
Simplicity is not…
…withdrawing from the world in order to become a hermit or a recluse…
Simplicity is not…
…a life of deprivation and tight-fisted miserliness.
Simplicity is not…
…a life of ease, passivity or laziness.
Simplicity is not…
…always the cheapest option.
What is simplicity?
When something is simple…
…it is free of needless complication.
When something is simple…
…it is free of distraction.
When something is simple…
…it is comprised of few parts.
When something is simple…
…it is unadorned, pure and ordinary.
When something is simple…
…it is pleasing and beautiful.
A simple life is like that.
A simple life conserves our most precious personal resources…
time
energy
attention
money
interests
abilities
Resources that all too often we fritter away on endless trivial errands
the minutiae of daily life
and the “tyranny of the urgent.”
Simplicity allows us to reclaim those resources…
…and direct them toward things that are truly important…
personal growth
important relationships
worship of God
service to our neighbor
activities that bring joy and meaning to our lives
A simple life is one lived consciously and deliberately (rather than on “auto pilot”) within a framework of carefully selected constraints, in pursuit of meaning and the fulfillment of deeper aspirations.
This website contains my reflections on this topic. I hope you find them helpful!
the author and her family at Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana
He is truly rich who can say “I have enough.”
–unknown
When you are leading a busy life, time sainvg in all aspects is a bonus. Twitter is a great tool for business and play, and I use it all the time. Thanks for the great advice once again, Ades: i’ll check this out!!