SEPTEMBER already! Where has the summer gone? Hopefully summer offered you a time to relax and refresh your spirit! Now back to the rat race!!! With vacations ending and school starting, it’s tempting to fill the days with all sorts of activities. I recalled a funny cartoon; I’m sure you have seen it – a bunch of elephants jumping into a small rowboat with the caption “Sometimes Less is More”. Less known is the quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
I started a list of less-is-more ideas. Having less is making room for what is more important. Less talking, more listening – leads us to better understanding. Less possessions, more gratitude means less in our hands helps us recognize more in our hearts. Less business, more presence – quiet ourselves to listen to another, myself, nature, and God. Less judgment, more compassion – what’s wrong with that person changes into I wonder what that person is carrying. Less control, more trust – faith helps us live with few answers. Less ego, more love – a chance for self-centeredness to become self-giving. Less fear, more courage – can we live from day to day not knowing the entire trip? Less comparison, more contentment – be grateful for what you have been given. Less noise, more silence – helps us hear the quiet voice of God. Less distraction, more awareness of God – seeing God in the ordinary things of life. And the list can go on.
On September 4th, we celebrate the gift of the Eleven Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, who offered their lives to save 120 local men and women in Nowogrodek. They lived with less so others could have more. Sister Stella and Companions, pray for us and our families. Beatified by St. John Paul II in 2000 as “Martyrs for Families,” their selflessness stands as a timeless testament to faith, courage, and unconditional love.
If I empty myself, I can fill myself with what is important and live with less of what keeps me from truly living. What do you need less of? Use your week wisely.
Till next week,
Sister Theresita Donach, CSFN
