Maybe Today is the Day You Need to Seek

For this challenge we were asked to do anything with the following poem: Seek on high bare trails, sky reflecting violets, mountain top jewels. I created six or seven versions of the idea in my head, all of which I put in my scrap drawer. After over thinking and overworking it I decided to go simple. The poet was an ancient Japanese monk so I channeled my inner Bosho and went with supplies he probably utilized. Sometimes simple is best.

To live a simple life does not mean everything goes as planned. Simplicity means we know and act on what we want. Sounds simple yet choices everyday make sticking to our simple goals a rocky trail up the mountain. There are options, distractions, mistakes, temptations and moments of both glory and weakness. Discipline is knowing what you want AND living your life in support of what you want. That means decisions making, spending, relationships, building a community, knowing and trusting that your decisions all support the bigger picture.

Sometimes the picture we can see in our heads of the life we want gets cloudy, muddled or burdened with other things. Things get delayed or discombobulated or even broken. It is at these times that we need to seek clarity and conviction. Take time to remind ourselves of what we want and why we want it, and this often means quiet time. We need to seek out the high bare trails that allow us peace, rest and time to rejuvenate the dream in our soul.

In this world of distractions and information overload quiet and rest our focus can be easily drowned out by posts and screen pop ups or instant messages. It takes courage and focus to turn all that off and stick to the simple plan. It also assumes there is a plan and that it is simple. When we over complicate we lose the brilliance of the initial idea. It may mean we have to stop overworking in our life, and give up the first idea in order to get to our best idea…even when we cannot yet recognize our best idea.

Maybe today is the day you need to turn everything off and spend a bit of time seeking. Seek out your simple life, the simple truth of what you want and stop overworking everyday for things you truly do not value. Not everyone will understand and yet the people who matter will get it instantly. Seek out your simple life, your best idea and the rest will take care of itself.