Life is actually really simple, but many of us insist on making it complicated. When our faith is strong enough; when our journey is toward simplicity, towards quietness, toward a kind of joy that is not in time but identifying our body and spirit with God; when we accept and be grateful for whatever and whomever we have, life would be worth living and exciting.

I have learned that to be alive is to totally and openly participate in the simplicity and elegance of here and now. At the end of life, our questions are very simple: Did we live fully? Did we love well?

Our everyday lives may be filled with complex decisions, but when we long for simplicity and ordinariness, happiness could be simple. Simplicity, goodness, patience, compassion and truth are the greatest treasures we can embrace faithfully to live peacefully and happily.

Happiness is not necessarily found outside of us. It doesn’t come only from cars, clothes, cash, nor Caribbean cruises. Happiness is found within; it is our reaction to outside forces.

But how can we find it, if we don’t have the simplicity of time and space to discover the most important things in our life?  How can we search the depths of our soul if we are too busy impressing ore criticizing others, acquiring wealth, protecting our properties, and paying our debts? It is not enough that we are busy; the question is, what are we busy about?

I believe that simplicity is having the time and space to embrace what are most important to us. It is having the leisure to cherish them, having the freedom to glory in them, and having the power to live by them.

Along the way, we will discover that the most important things in life are not things, but the people who are our life. However, that is something we have to ourselves.

Let us live life from the core of our being; let us give up superficiality. There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more; the other is to desire less and to live on less and delight in them more, is much better. I have learned to focus on what I have, not on what I don’t have because satisfaction doesn’t come from getting what we want, but wanting what we already have.

I have also learned that we can be contented in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want; that we can do everything through Him who gives us strength.(–Philippians 4:12-13)

Let us think about what we have right now that we have been taking for granted and we will be surprised the many blessings that we don’t even realize we do have.  Let us live on less and enjoy them more; accept and be grateful for whatever  and whomever we have and live the life that our Creator has already prepared for us.

By Tim Pedrosa

Tim