Simplicity

I truly hate to admit what motivated me to think about simplicity. How could I have possibly spent at least an hour stressing over a 3 dollar bottle of Equate brand lotion that I have not been able to open for a week. Yes, I have gone unmoisturized for a week now, because the first bottle of Equate lotion did not open after I twisted, pushed, turned, and eventually cracked the lid. Then once I returned it for yet the same exact bottle yesterday, I hoped my father could help me with this one. But no my dad with his Phd in robotic engineering could not succeed at the task either. So I stormed off to Walmart to return yet the second bottle of lotion. As I drudged through my kitchen, regretting this unnecessary errand, I just gently turned the spout 45 degrees and what do you know...it opened!

This bottle of lotion was simple to open, but like too many tasks I pursue, I made the journey complicated and harder than it really was.

Why in life do we walk down the rocky, steep road, when there is a cleared path right next to us? The cleared path just always seems harder to find and maybe taking the unbeaten path teaches us more lessons. No I didn't learn anything from that bottle of lotion along the way. Or maybe I did? Like the simple concept of Patience.

According to Confucius, "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." What a genius statement. Why are we so insistent on bringing unnecessary stresses, relationships, problems, and so many other ailments into our lives?

Since the moment we were corrupted after our toddler and childhood years, we have brought baggage into our own lives that do nothing but bog us down and restrict us from moving forward. Life will have its obstacles, but why should we embrace them as treachery? Why not turn the rocky, steep road into a peaceful canyon that will guide us to our destiny with beautiful scenery? Sounds maybe too idealistic for the chronic pessimist, but it's certainly worth a try.