Short story: Simplicity often misses seeing the deeper connections of truth to love, but it can often feel them as being there
@innertalks (21151)
Australia
June 23, 2023 11:20pm CST
The enormity of life was lost on John, who wanted just to live a simple life.
His Buddhist friend, Carl, though, talked to him like this, about simplicity.
“Simplicity might seem real enough, but it never is.”
“Simplicity, though, if it is to be at least partly real, must be based, and set on, the complexity of the truth, in all of its enormity, as if you try to set up a simple version of truth, based on your own simplicity, it misses being formatted in truth, because truth is all-inclusive, whereas simplicity is a mere subset of the enormity of truth, which stretches infinitely alive within love, which is what is simple.”
“Love is simple, but its truths enormously complex, so much so, that you could never know all of them within one lifetime, or hold them all in your mind; only through your soul, can you connect to truth, and bring it through your mind to know, and utilise, for yourself in your life.”
“Simplicity is lost, when real truth is found.”
“Simplicity has only a toe dipped in the waters of truth.”
“Do not settle for simplicity then, as you will miss out on the beauty of complexity, which simplicity never knows is there under its covering of simplicity. Simplicity can stand in your way, and block you from further delving into truth to unearth its deeper treasures in your life.”
"Simplicity is a tool, or a probe, which can feel the deepness, but not understand it, until you have the aware consciousness to do so."
“Simplicity is often said to be a strength, but it is a pseudo strength to the weak, who are not strong enough, brave enough, to swim out to deeper waters, and dive into the complexity of the deeper ocean's truths.”
“Simplicity should not be trusted then, as it never reaches past itself into a deeper knowing of the truth.”
“You can of course just live your life from love, and not endeavour to become aware of any of the truths of love.”
“If you are to live a life of service, though, you should try to come to understand love's truths, as you can help others then in their understanding too. We can love, but it is truth that sets our mind free of its trappings.”
“On the other hand, everything is just as complex as it needs to be, and this is the true simplicity of complexity."
"Simplicity on its own is not enough, as it stops with the simplicity of simplicity, where it needs to reach into complexity, and see its inner simplicity too."
"The complex is simple, when the simple becomes complex, but when the complex becomes simple, the complex loses its real simplicity. Things that require complexity, should not be simplified too far, and lose their beauty, to starkness.”
“Complexity does not mean confusion, and simplicity does not always mean ignorance, but it can do so, if we remain happy in our baser levels of thinking, instead of our refining our thoughts to understand the truths that we cannot as yet understand with our simplicity.”
“The complex does not need to be messy, and muddy waters. The simple sometimes does not clear the waters enough, to see the truth underneath its surface."
"Don't mess with complexity, don't stick with simplicity.”
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
5 people like this
3 responses
@innertalks (21151)
• Australia
24 Jun
The complex is needed at times though, as I wouldn't want a simple-minded person operating on my brain, or building a rocket for me to go to the moon on.
Sometimes, we need to allow the complexity to show us what to do, and not go the short-cut of simplicity instead.
2 people like this
@just4him (308408)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
26 Jun
@innertalks I understand what you're saying. When people make things more complicated than they need to with me, I can't grasp what they are talking about, and if it's a problem I need to solve, such as those in school, I need it simple. That's not to say I'm ignorant or lazy, it means I can't comprehend it. I need it simple, not complex.
2 people like this
@innertalks (21151)
• Australia
26 Jun
@just4him Yes, everyone is different, and people learn best in a way suited to how they best operate.
When complex things are not very simply explained, but instead of, explained in a complicated, convoluted, way though, it doesn't help, but adds to the angst, and difficulty, of someone trying to understand, and make an effort to understand the more complex things.
For some people, though, the complex is just not for them, and perhaps doesn't need to be, either.
@innertalks (21151)
• Australia
25 Jun
While that is true, that we do not need to try to overcomplicate life, to better understand our true role in life, sometimes we should not just rest on our laurels of simple enjoyment, but push ourselves to understand, and use, the God-given gifts that we have been given to live our lives from.
God took 6 days to make the world, and then he rested. If it was simple, he would have done it all in the one day.
Then, after man sinned, and was sent out of the Garden of Eden, his life became complicated by that sin.
God had to make laws for them to obey, and to control their sinful demeanours, and habitual, inherently, sinful ways.
God gave over 600 such laws to the Jews. Jesus said that these laws still stood, as he never came to abolish them.
This seems a complex life to me, not a simple one.
The building of Noah's Ark, and the construction of the Tabernacle, and the Ark of the Tabernacle, were all exacting complex tasks.
Sometimes, we need to take the harder more complex way, rather than the easier simpler way.
We need to go out of our way, to be a good Samaritan.
I think there is positive, and negative simplicity.
Positive simplicity cuts through red tape, and follows a straight path, not a crookedly complex one.
Negative simplicity avoids the issue, takes the lazy way, and wants to remain ignorant, so uninvolved.
We can bask in the beauty of a simple sunset, but underpinning this simplicity are a whole complex set of physics principles.
To grow past ignorance, sometimes the complex must be investigated.
Jesus Christ told his disciples that he had much more to show them, but they were not ready to receive it yet.
Sometimes, we need to grow into readiness, and not just sit back idly, simply waiting.
We need to move forwards, even if it is hard, difficult, and complex, at times.
@Shiva49 (26245)
• Singapore
24 Jun
My friend's son is suffering from a type of autism.
He has simple pursuits and just earns his keep.
Whatever he gets, he hands it over to his father who gives him money whenever he asks for his needs.
He does not know how much he earns or spends.
He wants to keep his life very simple.
He seems to be happy and hardly complains about his disability.
I feel some make their lives complex and reach nowhere in the end.
My approach is to keep it simple but look for those where I can put my energy to benefit others too
My material needs are simple too and I do not buy anything that is not of immediate need.
Ultimately it is a lifestyle choice, as some revel in complexity.
1 person likes this
@innertalks (21151)
• Australia
25 Jun
To say that we can choose simplicity over complexity, seems a bit of a furphy to me.
For one thing, everything to do with our life is complex.
Even eating, and digesting food, and turning it into energy for us to use, is a complex process.
Sure, we can live simply, and ignore the foundations underneath, which are complex, but it is living a sheltered existence, to my mind.
To get a job, we need to study, and go through different processes, interviews, resumes, all complex procedures.
The only thing we can do is to limit the amount of complexities in our life to a simple number, instead of it being too many that it then overcomplicates our life, as a result of this.
Nothing is simple, as even having a phone, a television, require an understanding of complex apparatus.
A simple person, usually has to be helped to do things, like filing a tax return, for example.
We can try to do too much, and overcomplicate our lives in that way, or we can go too far beyond what is required for a basic understanding, and then get entangled in the more complex, unnecessarily so.
But, where complex is required, like in somebody calculating the physics of safely submerging a submarine, simplicity can be a disaster. A billionaire wants a cheap (expensive really) frill, and trusts the operator simply, and then simply pays the price with his life.
@innertalks (21151)
• Australia
25 Jun
@Shiva49 And yet, if we always stay on the shores of life, in our comfy deckchairs, because it suits our comfort levels, just watching the oceans, we will never learn to sail to other climes, and to explore other areas of life too.
Perhaps, it is a good idea to prepare for the best too, then, rather than just hope, but to doubly prepare for the worst, where hope so often fails us.
The martial artist who got into a lion's den, hoping for the best with his skills to be able to handle the situation, was still eaten by the lions.
We need to do more than just hope; we need to have common sense sometimes, and also notice that we are planning for a losing battle, and so pull the pin on such hair-brained schemes before they go too far, and ruin us in their playing out.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26245)
• Singapore
25 Jun
@innertalks It is a lifestyle choice on how we face daily challenges.
If we live in the moment, we can go more than halfway to ease through the hurdles.
I have seen a few for whom nothing fazes them as whatever comes their way is par for the course.
At the other extreme are a few who live in fear - things are bad and going to be worse.
I have an approach to hope for the best and to be prepared for the worst.
I get disoriented at times, but I breathe easier once I have a grip on the situation.
Challenges come with opportunities too and they test our mettle.
We must find what suits our comfort level to face them.
1 person likes this
