The older I get, the more I can appreciate simplicity. One would think that I would learn to carve down a blog entry to cut to the chase and simplify things for the reader... but that's work! I am getting there, however.
Simplicity in Writing
I write for a living: technical writing. Part of my job is writing appraisal reports - lots of them. Much of what I compose for work has the potential to be litigated, ripped apart and laid bare before at least county commissioners, if not a jury. I've learned that summarizing and being brief is more valuable than being verbose with lengthy explanations. You give the other side more to scrutinize and more opportunities to twist your words. In other words, keep it simple. I'm learning that applies to so many more areas of life.
Simplicity in Diet
I have been experimenting with elements of something called the GAPS Diet. A coworker turned me on to this and we have both been dabbing in its principles of healing the digestive tract in order to relieve intestinal distress and clear mental faculties. The premise is that at least part of human psychology begins in the gut.
So what does that have to do with simplicity? Simple foods. Whole foods. Meat with the bone in. Bone stock. Chicken stock. Soup with five ingredients. Nothing processed, no sugars, no white flour. Just healing, nourishing soup and stock like our grandmothers used to make from scratch. The irony is that it is no simple task to find some of the simple ingredients for the simple diet. Your average supermarket fare is so highly processed and not grown organically. It has been a journey to find the places the supply the type of wholesome, simple food I'm looking for. For example, have you ever tried to find raw milk? Outside of milking a cow yourself, it's close to impossible.
But over time you adjust, you find sources and things become routine. You achieve a new normal and life becomes simpler again. Only now, I'm eating fewer foods made from ingredients I think I can trust. That is simplicity.
I watched a documentary last night about several gentlemen who were on a juice fast for sixty days. Nothing but fruit and vegetable juice. That's a simple diet, even though it can make life more involved until you figure out your new normal. The benefits of lost weight, more energy and less medication is certainly a joy of simplicity.
My Simple Lunch
A simple joy I found today was over lunch with my coworker who introduced me to GAPS. He had made some great northern beans and lima beans with a ham hock. I'm not a big fan of these varieties but with the ham bone, it was pretty decent. I had made some home made sauerkraut with just cabbage, sea salt and starter. Together, the kraut and the beans were a surprisingly good combination. We used good quality ingredients and simple recipes.
Some of my favorite meals are simple: pasta with sauce, prosciutto and bread, grilled cheese with tomato soup. Have you noticed that if you use poor quality ingredients that the results aren't so good, not as satisfying, and not as pleasant? That's the key: good quality inputs. Ever had ham and white bread? It just doesn't compare to prosciutto and artisan bread, does it?
The Key
Just as with recipes, the quality of your inputs determine the quality of the outcomes. The better the effort, the more dense the nutrients, the more concise the writing, the more joy will be derived from the product. It's a lack of fillers. Keep it simple. To really appreciate simplicity and take joy where you find it means you have to get your priorities straight and be emotionally grounded, at least to some degree. But the key is still the same: quality.
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