Simplicity
How do you make water boil faster?
Use less water.
Simple enough. My friend and I had a dinner date a few months ago, and we decided to make pasta. While we were waiting for the water to boil, we were discussing different methods that may make the water boil faster. Then she said the above idea.." i know, use less water." At the time i laughed, it is so clearly obvious. Of Course! if you use less water, then it will boil faster. But for some reason it stuck with me.
Every morning when I fill up the kettle, i think . how do you make water boil faster, use less water. So I
have been using less water, getting my coffee faster. :) always a good thing.
It struck me this morning how the most meaningful, deep concepts are generally pretty simple. When I was in seminary, we learned day in and out. I learned so much. How much did I retain? Not much probably. But the things that I do remember, the lessons that I still think about and apply to my life as much as possible..those are the ones that were said as an aside. There was not a great deep philosophical discussion about them. Yet, those are the ones that remain etched in my mind 7 years later.
In English class, we learn never use a big word when a smaller one will do. Simple and elegant.
When we try to overcompensate, we make things messy. We make things difficult for ourselves and the ones around us. We are generally simple. We are all basically the same. When we over clutter and unnecessarily complicate- that is when things get difficult.
One of the best feelings in the world when you clean out your closet. You throw out/donate the clothes and shoes you don't wear anymore. You clean out the fridge. You de-clutter. You feel better. Its the feeling of having simplicity reign. If we could only truly declutter our minds and our lives..how much happier we'd be?!
Clearly, it is difficult to do so. But perhaps start with one area. Maybe start with the closet, then the fridge, then a relationship.
Enjoy the simple elegance.
Use less water.
Simple enough. My friend and I had a dinner date a few months ago, and we decided to make pasta. While we were waiting for the water to boil, we were discussing different methods that may make the water boil faster. Then she said the above idea.." i know, use less water." At the time i laughed, it is so clearly obvious. Of Course! if you use less water, then it will boil faster. But for some reason it stuck with me.
Every morning when I fill up the kettle, i think . how do you make water boil faster, use less water. So I
have been using less water, getting my coffee faster. :) always a good thing.
It struck me this morning how the most meaningful, deep concepts are generally pretty simple. When I was in seminary, we learned day in and out. I learned so much. How much did I retain? Not much probably. But the things that I do remember, the lessons that I still think about and apply to my life as much as possible..those are the ones that were said as an aside. There was not a great deep philosophical discussion about them. Yet, those are the ones that remain etched in my mind 7 years later.
When we try to overcompensate, we make things messy. We make things difficult for ourselves and the ones around us. We are generally simple. We are all basically the same. When we over clutter and unnecessarily complicate- that is when things get difficult.
One of the best feelings in the world when you clean out your closet. You throw out/donate the clothes and shoes you don't wear anymore. You clean out the fridge. You de-clutter. You feel better. Its the feeling of having simplicity reign. If we could only truly declutter our minds and our lives..how much happier we'd be?!
Clearly, it is difficult to do so. But perhaps start with one area. Maybe start with the closet, then the fridge, then a relationship.
Enjoy the simple elegance.
Nice post. That's a great message!
ReplyDeleteGreat message! And brilliant idea on the part of your friend ;-)
ReplyDelete