Simplicity

One of the cardinal virtues of stoicism and in many forms, other religious traditions is temperance. This virtue dictates that we not move to excess, that we temper our ambitions, desires, and actions so that we may live a more harmonious, simple life. How often do we see examples of the rich seeking more and more even when it is apparent to those who have little that they have attained enough? They have created a lifestyle in which they always need more because their lives are full of excesses.

To live a life of temperance is not easy. It means being honest with ourselves to know when we have enough and not seek more. It means traveling within our means, even if it within a small radius of where we live. The country we live in, whether it be the United States, Canada, Germany, or any other, is full of unique wonders and places that we need travel far to experience nature or to gain a sense of wonder, in a fully simple, tempered way. Yet many seek to travel to the exotic corners of the world, to experience more than they need. This is all well and good, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to fulfilment.

Let us seek then to live a simple life, to work just as much as we need to, to travel only as far as we can afford, to not seek the excesses that will keep us wanting more, and to enjoy what we have around us. It’s not easy, but it will be worth it.