If you don’t know, K.I.S.S. is the acronym for “Keep it Simple,
Sweetie.” (However, some use other words for the second “S.”)
Most people have heard this before, but few seem to take it to
heart. Those who don’t can easily give you reason after reason
for making almost anything more complex than it needs to be.
I feel relatively safe saying that most of us use cellphones, cameras
and even TVs that are capable of doing far more than we will ever
demand of them. In technology, this is called progress; but for many
of us, it is just waste. Not too long ago, telephones served only one
purpose, and all you needed to know to operate one was how to dial.
Of course, today, dial phones are a rarity, and there are no televisions
with channel dials anymore. And if you are under 30 years of age,
you probably have no idea what I’m talking about, since you are
accustomed to tapping, not dialing, a number into a keypad.
In keeping with the K.I.S.S. principle, some of the best ideas
are often the shortest. “Just do it” is one of my favorites, as is “Just
say no.” No long explanation is needed for a good thought. Have you
ever noticed how concise each of the Ten Commandments is? I have
been told that a sentence of eight words is very easy to read and that
each additional three words makes the sentence progress to easy and
then fairly easy, until it reaches the standard length of 17 word s; at 21
words, a sentence is said to become fairly difficult; by 25 words,
difficult; and by 32 words, very difficult; therefore, this sentence
with 75 words, counting numbers, should be virtually impossible
to read. So, if you got confused while you read it, you now know why. I
could have successfully made my point just by saying that a sentence
over 20 words long can be confusing; that is, if I had used the K.I.S.S.
system.
The road to simplicity lies somewhere between two little and too
much. However, if you must err, err on the side of too little. It is
easier to add than to subtract, much like applying salt to food. In
art, Picasso could use one line for what many other artists required far
more. And so it is in life. We need not search out complex principles to
live by nor multilevel rules for social engagements. Rather, simply use
easy to understand concepts, such as “Eat when you are hungry,” and
“Scratch where it itches.”
Life is simple if you will learn to accept it on its own terms. “Go with
the flow,” doesn’t mean that you can’t try to change what you want to
change. It only means that you shouldn’t try to change things that
can’t be changed. I can’t tell you how to know the difference between
the two; but I’m sure that if you look carefully, you will be able to tell
which things must be accepted and which you can alter.
Keeping life simple is the key to happiness. If you can stop
yourself from getting lost in a maze of confusion, you will understand
why watching a sunset alongside someone you love is one of life’s
“simple” pleasures. So, stop struggling to do it the hard way. Just relax
and do it the easy way. It’s just that simple.
I’m not myself today and everybody has noticed the improvement 33