I’ve been thinking on this idea of simplicity and its counterpart complicated. I’ll be the first to say I prefer simple over complicated. But sometimes I confuse the two. I have been known to equate simple with boring, mundane, or predictable. And think complicated is another word for exciting, fun, or evocative. But that’s just not true.
Some of the most amazing things I’ve ever done or experienced have been, in their basic structure, simple.

Running is simple.
Laughter is simple.
Love, in its purest form, is simple.

We make these things complicated because we muddy them with our overthinking, analyzing and piling our wants, needs, and goals over top of them.
Now that’s complicated.
On Saturday, while out for a run I came upon a guy who was getting his morning training in. He was so happy. I closed the space between us for about a mile so I had the opportunity to observe.
He waived at many in a familiar way but greeted and acknowledged everyone. When I came upon him I alerted him to my presence with an “on your left.”
He turned to me with the biggest smile on his face and graced me with a sincere “good morning!”
I don’t know how long he’d been out there, how many miles he had done, or had left to do but he made much of it seemingly simple.
He was happy and he was equally happy to share it.
After I passed him I found myself still smiling several minutes following our brief encounter. When I made the turn to head for home he didn’t miss the chance to wish me well and to have a great day.
And with that beautiful smile again.
For all I know this man is having a terrible personal life experience right now. He may be unemployed, going through a divorce, battling an illness, or mourning a loss; or all of the above.
But on Saturday morning he let it be simple. He was in the present in connection with whomever crossed his path. He decided to be happy. I thought about him many times the rest of the day and kept being reminded of a saying I’ve seen floating around on social media many times:

Maybe a little rough around the edges but simple and true all the same.
Go forth and sprinkle.

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi & G