“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to
add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
– Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Today I kept hearing the words of the Michael Card penned song “In
Stillness and Simplicity”. It’s from one
of his early albums. I read the quote above today and have thought of it all day long, not so much in terms of perfection,
but in knowing where to stop. I remember
times I’ve created something, a song, a craft or piece of art, and I fool with
it and mess with it, and then, the point comes when it feels I am taking away
something to add anything else to it…any more work, effort, or “touching” of it
at all. There just comes a time when it
is time to stop. I equate it to hair
stylists. You can strive for perfection
to the point that someone ends up bald.
There comes a point when you just have to stop.
It is what it is.
Editing applies to this quote. One of my AP English teachers in high school taught
me over and over again: “It is harder to
write a brief, clear and effective message than to write a 2000 page book. Strive for brevity and concise writing.” How true.
I don’t know that I hit “concise writing” well. I enjoy the various facets of a thought and I
enjoy turning over all the rocks to see what lies there.
Still, the message of simplicity, or “less being more” is
central to my thoughts this season. Oh
yes, I won’t lie: there is that desire
to be delighted that is the child in each of us. But, I want more than anything, below the
surface, to just know the gift of contentment.
The gift of using well what I have.
The gift of sharing my time, myself, my life-energy…good, balanced
priorities. To appreciate and give more
the gift of the smile. To love, to know,
to be, to do. Those precious things
can’t be bought or measured, only deliberately given from a very disciplined,
honed, focused life driven by clear, sole purpose and priority. You don’t “get” that. You attain it. You reflect it from the very life of Jesus.
In Stillness and Simplicity - Michael Card
In stillness and simplicity
In the silence of the heart I see
The mystery of eternity
In stillness and simplicity
In stillness and simplicity
I hear the Spirit silently
That You, o Lord, are close to me
In stillness and simplicity
You're the Word who must be heard
By those who listen quietly
Is the reason we're not still to hear You speak
Because we don't believe You will
In stillness and simplicity
I lose myself in finding Thee
O Lord, You mean so much to me
In stillness and simplicity
So seek the One who dwells in you
The Kingdom that's within is true
That innermost reality
In stillness and simplicity
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