Review  | By Patricia Anne McGoldrick   »   Looking to the future? Are you are at a crossroads in life? 

Are you thinking about Embracing simplicity for a healthy planet, a caring economy and lasting happiness? You might want to check out Less is More (New Society Publishers), the small book sporting these italicized words on its front cover. 

This thoughtful anthology compiled by co-editor contributors Cecile Andrews and Wanda Urbanska  is a rich collection of expert commentary on simplicity - discovering and maintaining it in an ever faster-changing world of the 21st century.

From dictionary definitions to Thoreau to the Dalai Llama, simplicity can, according to Andrews, lead us to a greater satisfaction with our lives and a gratitude that stems from that contentment. Urbanska argues that it can be empowering to adopt a more simplified lifestyle.

If you look at the list of contents, you might be relieved to see that the book benefits from being sub-divided into three sections with several titles such as these ones listed below:

One of the strengths of this book can be found in the fact that it is written by practitioners, people who walk the talk of simplicity.  Also, the selections are relatively brief; this provides opportunity to pause and digest the contributions. In fact, the editors would encourage all of us to gather and to discuss the content by “creating simplicity conversation circles”.

Less is More gives us much to think about. This was put into perspective for me, especially, in Part Two - Solutions, when Cathy O’Keefe quoted Harry Chapin’s song “Cat’s in the Cradle”. It made me stop and think about the need to reflect on where we are at and where we are going as O”Keefe discussed “Culture as a Guidepost for a Balanced Life”. 

Bottom line, perhaps the Shakers had it right, when they sang the refrain, quoted by O”Keefe: 

‘”tis a gift to be simple, ‘tis a gift to be free….”

This summer, for many reasons, I came to realize that Less is More. There is so much for which to be thankful. 

Check out this book for a new outlook on simplicity in life! 

• Less is More edited by Cecile Andrews and Wanda Urbanska (New Society Publishers, BC, Canada)

• Patricia Anne McGoldrick writes poetry, essays, and reviews. Living in Kitchener, Ontario, Patricia has been published in the Christian Science Monitor, The Irish American Post plus several titles at chapterandverse.ca. She is a member of The Ontario Poetry Society and the League of Canadian Poets.  WEB: Patricia-Anne-McGoldrick.com  BLOG: PM_Poet Writer  Twitter: @PM27