DEFINING SIMPLE IN OUR LIVES

As I started this blog, I quickly realized that "simple" is not such an easy word to define. Sure, Merriam-Webster offers up a good bare bones definition:

"not hard to understand or do
having few parts : not complex or fancy not special or unusual"

But, defining "simple" and "simplicity" in our lives is not so easy. I've heard it said that the truth defies simplicity. And, in a busy, complex, and confusing world, the truth is life is not simple.

We are constantly living at a fast pace. We feel hurried and harried. Too many things to do, in too little time. We strive to be busy, and never idle. Hell, we've even built our own proverbs around the ills of idleness (idleness being the devil's workshop).

AVOIDING DISTRACTED LIVING

Our lives  are constantly being steered toward distractions. Sometimes, we even steer them toward distractions because they are easy, fun, and pass the time. But these things end up diverting one's attention and can leave one feeling drained. Then, why do we do it?

Partly, it's to avoid boredom. We want diversions and distractions because it beats the hell out of being bored. Of having to be present for moments that we take for granted every second. We want distractions and stimuli to fill our minds because we have trouble being still -- both in the physical sense of being stationary, as well as being mentally calm.

SIMPLE IN TODAY'S WORLD

In today's world "simple" is a difficult concept for many to grasp. Everything we use each day seems to be constantly evolving into a more complex system. The world seems to demand that we keep up with the growing number of complexities, complications, and nuances of everyday life.

The new smartphone, the computer, emails. All these things were designed to make our lives simpler, easier. And, yet, this is not the case. Too often these tools end up end up complicating life further.