“It is easy to make things difficult… try to make things simple.”
Years ago I was offered a scholarship to study internationally for a year. I’d narrowed my choices down to a university in Kenya, and one in New Zealand. Kenya was my first choice. But I found the University to be non-responsive to my inquiries and applications. I contacted everyone I could think of. Finally, after months, I contacted the foundation through whom I’d received the scholarship to see if I could apply to my second choice, and they said yes. I sent off a new round inquiries and applications. Within two weeks I’d received acceptance letters from both Universities. Hmmm, what to do… If I went to Kenya I’d have only 6 weeks to get the required visas, get my things packed up and ready to go, and book flights. If I went to New Zealand I’d have 6 months to get everything ready.
I went to breakfast with a friend of mine, and was expressing my conundrum. He stopped me and asked, “What do you want to do with your time when you’re not in class?” I said I wanted to be outside exploring nature, hiking, seeing animals. His response was, “Have you ever been to Nairobi? I have. You won’t find what you’re looking for there. You’ll have to work hard to find ways to get out of town to be in nature. I’ve been to New Zealand too. Access to what you want will be much easier there.” And then he followed with the real zinger, “Ever since I’ve known you you choose the hardest option. You don’t have to beat your head against a wall all the time. You can use this opportunity to learn something new, and have fun exploring a new place. You can make things simple.” Wow. The things we don’t see in ourselves. I hadn’t realized I gravitated to the most difficult choice, but he was right. I just needed to hear it from an outside perspective.
I ended up choosing the university in New Zealand. It was one of the most enjoyable years of my life, both for the academics, and for the ease of accessing incredible landscapes (and for many other reasons as well). These days, when I have difficult choices to make I sometimes recall that breakfast, and think about whether the simple answer will be not only less difficult but equally fulfilling. Can you think of examples in your life where you’ve chosen a harder choice when a simpler choice would work just as well?
As you move into your meditation today, and throughout the rest of the day keep the above idea in mind, and see if you can do the simple things.
