Beauty in Simplicity

I was always picked on for not owning a cell phone for many years. While it’s partly possible that I may not have been able to afford one at university, I never ‘wanted’ it because I felt it will make my life complicated. I finally gave in to peer pressure and to the notion of life being impossible without it and regret the decision up until this day. Actually, regret may be too much of a heavy word – let’s just say I don’t like having a phone as I don’t like being tracked down or tracking people down. While it certainly has its enormous benefits, I feel that I can’t enjoy it as much because of an inability to ‘disconnect’ from it. That is what makes things complicated. It almost ‘never’ leaves me alone (and I feel extremely bad about turning it off, missing calls and getting it trouble for not picking up my phone). I think many people feel that way – I remember a while ago, my friend, Omayma, forgot her cell phone at home (an extremely rare event) and at the end of the day remarked how peaceful her day had been.

What does simplicity mean to you? When I was studying the human body in one of my undergrad courses, I could not help but to complain how ‘complicated’ everything seemed to be. There was just way too much terminology, diagrams, and tedious processes to memorize and understand in a limited time frame. But as the time went by and I was able to see the bigger picture, I began to realize how each and every natural process ultimately boils down to a simple function. A simple Newtonian equation F=ma, celebrated for its elegance and simplicity, together with other simple equations, accounts for a HUGE range of universal phenomena. It’s almost like finding a simple pattern hidden in an apparent chaos. Things get stripped down to their most basic, their most simple. It is no surprise then that many people including me find peace and serenity in nature. In nature, there is no more or less than what’s needed. There is no excess, no lack of organization – it is just the right balance.

The way nature manages to strike such a beautiful balance by simplifying complexity in simple yet remarkable ways is beyond inspiring. Simplicity then becomes the ability to use our complex thought process, intricate conscience, infinite knowledge, powerful experiences, and flamboyant emotions to master our mysterious world in such a way so as to achieve peace and serenity within our selves – our minds, bodies, and souls. Would you rather have a rack crammed full of mismatched clothes or a wardrobe simplified down to allow focus on the items that enhance your appearance and your personality?

"The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials" - Lin Yutang