After all the frenetic activity many of us experience over the holiday season it is sometimes helpful to take some time to yourself, sit and reflect on the year that has been.
I am very fortunate that where I live is right next to a tranquil lake and this is something I can do whenever I choose to. The silent beauty of the lake is awe inspiring and no matter the season it never fails to take my breath away.
I was reminded of how easy it is to overlook the sheer power of simplicity and reflection when I read recently about the modern day “hermit” Sister Rachel Denton. Her life consists of rising early, spending many hours at prayer, tending her garden and enjoying long walks.
This life of self-restraint is one an awful lot of people in this modern age would find extraordinarily difficult, but Sister Rachel doesn’t hide her joy at the simple way she lives her life.
“I get up, I go to sleep. I’m grateful for being alive. And that’s enough. I’m with God every day. I really do have a lovely life. It’s wonderful. I really do enjoy myself.” She told the BBC.
It is a cliché of course but we must make time for the simple things in life for without simplicity there cannot be the complex. Just as in there can be no night without day and one cannot experience true joy without knowing despair. It is ying and yang.
In essence simplicity is the state or quality of being simple. Something which is easy to understand or explain seems simple, in contrast to something complicated. Yet one can over-complicate things and something that should be simple often is not.
According to the principle of Occam’s razor, all other things being equal, the simplest theory is the one most likely to be true. In the context of human lifestyle, simplicity can denote freedom from hardship, effort or confusion.
Simplicity is also a theme in the Christian religion. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, God is infinitely simple. The Roman Catholic and Anglican religious orders of Franciscans also strive after personal simplicity.
So we can regard simplicity as somehow wholesome and in certain uses, the label “simplicity” can imply beauty, purity, or clarity.
Hugo Kamishi Simplicity Aquariums
It was with this in mind that I designed my “Simplicity” range of aquariums all produced with care and with the budget conscious in mind. You can view the range here.
Sayounara さようなら
Hugo
