Less is More

Less is More
By Marilyn Mackenzie
July 20, 2005




Birds fly from branch to branch.
They sing along the way,
Seeming to enjoy each moment.

Ants carry heavy loads;
They often help each other,
Never caring about the future.

Clouds roll across the sky.
The sun rises and falls.
Days and nights exchange places.

Only man worries and frets,
Not savoring the journey,
But anticipating the end goal.

Waking to a new day?
Now there’s a celebration!
If only man could slow his pace.

The road to each adventure
Holds more than the destination;
Happiness is within his reach.

Ancient wisdom is lost on man.
Busyness blinds him,
As he rushes from goal to goal.

Real joy and peace lies
In each footstep taken,
Not just in the total strides.

The sage life is without strife,
Without extremes, without acclaim.
It just is; Less is more.


Author’s note: Thanks to my son, I have now read The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff and Stan Rosenthal’s translation of Tao Te Ching. From my son and these writers, I learned that Tao is not a religion, but more of a philosophy and way of life or conduct. Anyone of any faith can follow a simple life, or be an "Uncarved block" like Pooh.

From Stan Rosenthal’s translation: The Embodiment of Tao. "To conduct one's life according to the Tao, is to conduct one's life without regrets; to realize that potential within oneself which is of benefit to all."