Why less is more (or reminders on the greatness of simplicity)

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy. — Anne Frank

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. — Hans Hoffman

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage — to move in the opposite direction. — E. F. Schumacker

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. — Confucius

MANILA, Philippines – Relax, find music in silence, joy in solitude, poetry in nature, seek power in prayer, health and true wealth in a simple, disciplined life.

Despite the circus-like hullabaloo about the controversies of Dr. Vicki Belo and her sports car-loving ex-boyfriend Dr. Hayden Kho, Jr., I was recently really struck by the catchy new business slogan — “Less is More” — used by partly Belo-owned Flawless beauty chain, a venture with part-owner entrepreneur Ruby Sy Coyiuto. Instead of beauty treatments to lessen corpulence or other perceived physical imperfections, I was inspired to adopt that slogan as an ideal tagline for our challenging times of global economic recession.

Why should we worry so much about the economic slowdown? Why not turn the situation around and find unexpected positive consequences? If we have smaller incomes or less in savings, why not sit down to review our expenses and cut down on unnecessary things in order to boost efficiency? Many of the best things in life are free and not material in nature.

Going even further and into our home life, why don’t we sift through our personal belongings for things we do not really need and which we could resell at garage sales, through The Philippine STAR classified ads, via eBay or by organizing “desk sales” of sorts in your office or workplace? Not only would you be gaining additional pesos from such sales (or even donations or gifts) and lessen stress, if you dispose of unused or unnecessary or used things, you can reduce the overcrowding of your home and create more space to lessen the sense of clutter which can complicate us.

In terms of personal health, the concept of “less is more” also applies to nutrition.

I’ll never forget reading a book by Yale University’s Chinese history genius Professor Jonathan Spence that the Qing Dynasty Emperor Kangxi ate only two meals a day but lived a long life and reigned the longest period over the vast Chinese empire. Wow! Meanwhile, Napoleon Bonaparte of France reportedly spent an average of only 10 minutes per meal (perhaps for efficiency?).

Another unique “emperor” was the late South Korean “rags-to-riches” billionaire Chung Ju Yung of the Hyundai conglomerate. I had the privilege to meet him here in the Philippines and I remember him uttering this line: “People who eat more than two times a day can never truly become a success.” Ouch! I eat five, six or even seven times per day!

I should change — perhaps eating three or even surely more times per day, but in smaller portions. Even the genius Albert Einstein once said: “I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind.”

Landmark Department Store taipan Enrique Cheng once confided to me this personal encounter of his with his fellow University of Michigan alumnus, the much elder late Dr. Albino SyCip who managed China Bank for decades. SyCip advised: “Young man, eat less in order to eat more.” When Enrique inquired what he met, SyCip explained that if we humans ate less each meal, this healthy habit would eventually grant us longevity and therefore more meals in our lifetimes.

Who better to exemplify the idea of “less is more” in history than Jesus Christ, a carpenter’s son and simple guy who nevertheless preached salvation, performed miracles and scandalized the corrupt political and religious leaders of his epoch? Christ was so humble, he was placed to sleep in a manger (used for animal feeding) in a stinking stable after birth. He is remembered for ages ago helping the poor and curing the sick. Christ didn’t socialize with socialites, celebrities and politicians; he was socially conscious and spiritually conscientious.

I aspire toward success as we conventionally define it, but on the other hand, I also still try to seek the simplicity of life that I saw invigorate the spirit and character of my late mother — a twice widowed teacher and a devout Christian.

Today, exactly 67 years ago on June 14, 1942, the then 13-year-old German Jewish girl Anne Frank started keeping a diary to record her life, her thoughts, feelings, sadness and hopes. She later died at age 15 in the notorious Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, Lower Saxony, Nazi Germany. She was a simple girl with simple but beautiful dreams.

Anne Frank’s diary eventually became the most famous diary in the world. It is a testament not only to her inspiring positive attitude and her innate talent; it is not only documentary proof of Adolf Hitler’s racist Holocaust of six million European Jews; even more, her diary is a heartbreakingly eloquent epistle to life, idealism and imperishable hope.

Despite the horrific bloodshed of genocide, the bombastic chaos of World War II and her family’s sufferings, Anne Frank once scribbled these words: “The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be.”

Anne Frank also wrote in her diary: “Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!” I agree! I wish us all a simple and relaxing Sunday.

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