“With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live without envy.”
Lope de Vega

My quest for simplicity started in childhood. As the severity of my parents hoarding increased, so did my desire for a less complicated life. Night was the most peaceful time for me then, much as it is now. As a child, it’s when the chaos seemed to subside, and the darkness hid what daylight showcased.

“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.“
Lao Tzu

This post is dedicated to Dr. Patch Adams, a man who is compassion in human form.

Empathy, Sympathy, and Compassion are often used interchangeably – although intertwined, they are not one and the same.

Empathy is the ability to understand and relate to an emotion, situation or circumstance. As an asthmatic, you could empathize with the physical and mental frustration another asthmatic feels during an attack. Sympathy would allow you to feel sorrow for another one’s loss, such as in death, or perhaps divorce. Compassion is where empathy and sympathy blend together in a way that compels you to DO something to alleviate that which caused the emotion.