A very wise man has
pointed out that “simplicity is the peak of civilization.” If one were to apply
those words to one’s life, I am certain that they would, in one way or another,
take on a different meaning and a dissimilar significance for each person. For me,
“simplicity” signifies the elimination of all but what is essential in life, exchanging
chaos for peace, and enabling myself to spend my time doing those things that
are important to me and with those people who are most important to me.
A simple life means
getting rid of those many things that gnaw away at the time to spend with those
people and to follow my passions. It means getting rid of the clutter around
me, so that I am then left with only that which makes my life worthwhile.
Easy enough said;
however, achieving simplicity is not always a simple process. In a sense, it is
a journey rather than a destination, and it can at times, be a journey where
one finds themself sliding backward a step for every two steps forward.
If I were to sum up
what attaining simplicity entails, I would be inclined to say: first of all
identify everything that is important to you, and then eliminate everything
else. Pick out the best and get rid of the rest. That, however, may be too simple
a description of the process. One must not only identify and eliminate, but
must learn how to apply “identify and eliminate” to the different facets of one’s
life.
For a while, on these
pages, I will attempt to present ideas that I believe should help just about
anyone who is either interested in or actually attempting to simply their
lives. Not everything I will write about will be totally suited to every person.
One must then decide which ones appeal to them and then apply them to their own
lives. The path may seem even complicated to some who seek simplicity; yet, one
should take their time, read, think, apply (if they can) and then move on.
