Less is More

This is the time of the year when we face excess in a way that can be daunting. There is the challenge of gift buying for all of us, whether it is organizing and the financial pressures we face because of it. For me, you can find me running around last minute and losing any sense of holiday cheer with each stop since I’m not good at organizing. This year I was not any more organized, but my family and I decided that each person would get one gift only since none of us need anything and every item we receive is adding to the excess in all of our lives, which we know is a blessing.

This particular mantra had me thinking about how we define less, so that it can mean more. Recently, I set about organizing and emptying the many closets of my very good friend, who passed away in July. The day was long, draining, and one that had me consider this particular mantra in a different light. 

While one can say that my friend did not believe in less, as was proven by the 20 plus trash bags of clothes, shoes, coats, and accessories I filled for charity. However I never felt as if any aspect of her life was excessive for excessive sake. Perhaps it was because she was someone who received so much love and gave so much love. I know how much I loved her and I know how much love I received from her each and every day.

As I sorted her clothes into piles for charity and piles to be sold, I would find a certain top or dress that I remembered her wearing on some occasion where we were together. Since our friendship was long, you can imagine the endless memories I remembered from so many clothing items. As sad and devastating as it was to be doing this, my sadness was mixed with my gratitude that I had so many memories triggered by these material things that went against this very mantra. Of course there were moments when I wished she had lived with the mantra of Less is More, but then I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to remember so much that I had forgotten. 

As I finished sorting and packing, I had to view this mantra through the lens of my recent loss. See, I wish I had more time, which goes against this idea of less being more. If I could go back in time, I would find even more time to have spent with her because her absence is permanent and absolutely heartbreaking. I don’t think in this instance less is more. Selfishly I want more and more. So, as exhausted as I was from the cleaning out of her endless closets, I was really glad she was excessive in stuff because that excessiveness was what enabled me to revisit so many great memories.