At a time when technology and our attachment to our devices allow us to live at a blistering pace, the wonder and grace of simplicity may be in jeopardy. The very idea of simplicity is quickly relegated to simple-mindedness, a lack of much-needed sophistication, and an anomaly in the modern world, all of which suggests that simplicity cannot empower us as we face life’s difficulties. However, simplicity may be the single most important ingredient for truly valuing who we are and the dignity of the life we create.

An ancient definition of the word simplicity is “unattached to artificiality.” To understand simplicity, we need to be clear about the nature of artificiality and its opposite. We can begin accepting that what is artificial is fake or an imitation. Hence, when we separate from what is artificial, we have the opportunity to attach to what is genuine, real, and original. An initial reaction might be, “It’s a no-brainer, who would not want to be connected to what is authentic and real?” Well, maybe most of us are ok settling for the artificial, only because expressions of the artificial are so powerfully seductive. So powerful, we may not even........

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