I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.
—Lao Tzu
Trying to get the new year kicked off in the right way with the words above from Lao Tzu, the Chinese philosopher and father of Taoism. I am not a big fan of resolutions but do believe in reminders. It never hurts to be nudged to the fact that those three things– simplicity, patience and compassion— are the basis for a satisfying and peaceful life. All three are critical in maintaining our balance amidst the machinations of the outer world.
I tend to believe that the three are inextricably connected, each providing sustenance and direction for the other two.
But like all great treasures, they are sometimes difficult to obtain and keep. I know that I sometimes feel like I am close to that mother lode of all three virtues, only to find that I have lost most of it.
Lost my patience with everything and everyone.
Lost any sense of simplicity through overthinking and overcomplicating things.
And worst of all, lost most of my compassion for others.
In such moments, I am penniless in the spiritual sense. And I can feel the darkness of this.
But if even a tiny iota of these three things remains, if my pocketbook for them is not totally empty, then there is hope. It seems that this is a treasure that builds quickly through an odd quirk: not through hoarding but through being generous in sharing this wealth with others.
Expending all three compounds their value in a way that would make the greediest hedge fund manager envious.
Well, maybe not that guy.
Anyway, after what felt like a bleak end to the last year, I find myself a bit short on all three things. A bit spiritually impoverished. What better time to begin to rebuild one’s treasure with the clean slate of a new year?
I’m game. What do I have to lose?
Here’s song that feels like it might fit the theme here. It’s about seeking simplicity, about cutting out all the detritus and clutter and finding one’s own little nirvana. This has been a favorite for over 50 years. Here’s the late John Prine and his Spanish Pipedream.
Redtree Times 
Happy New Year Gary. Just want to say that I have been a long time fan of John Prine. I have many of his CDs collected over the years but the highlight of being a fan of John was seeing him live at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse twice, the last time was in June 2019.
Somehow I am not surprised that are also a long time fan of John Prine!
Cliff
Yeah, many John Prine songs are permanently ingrained in my mind. I envision a time somewhere in the future where I won’t recognize anyone around me but will still be able to effortlessly sing the lyrics to “Paradise” or “Hello in There” or so many others. Just plain good stuff,
That’s a fine trinity of virtues. I’m about as patient as they come, partly by nature and partly because my work has demanded developing the quality. And I’m constantly aware of the need to simplify. I will say that spontaneous compassion is more certain when I come across a squirrel dead in the road than when I’m faced with certain human situations, but I’m working on it.
My compassion for animals is much greater than for humans but, like you, I am working on it.