All Health’s Breaking Loose: Less is more

My career in entertainment began on the “Donny and Marie Show” in the early ‘80s. As a makeup artist, my place of work was across a wide hall from the wardrobe department. The wardrobe room was a warehouse full of bejeweled gowns for the star-studded cast, all designed by a short, ascot-and-jazz-beret-wearing white-haired man named Rhett Turner.

Rhett could sketch like Michelangelo. His drawings were posted up all over the walls of his design room. I looked forward to having an excuse to go in there so I could stop for a moment and get lost gazing into a free-form, black and white sketch of iconic high fashion. They were eye candy to me. Once, I asked my Santa-esque friend about the belt accessory on an outfit to be worn by Raquel Welch. His response is as clear in my memory today as that moment when he chirped, “No, Loa, less is more.”

Over the last 30 years I have seen his beret-wearing, bearded face in my mind’s eye, many times scolding me with this three-word response: “less is more.” This mantra seems to hold up when applied to most any area of life. So on this very day of Thanksgiving, as we celebrate gratitude, let us hope for simplicity as well.

The Greek philosopher Epictetus said, “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”

I hope you will have the joy of gathering with loved ones and feeling the warmth of the love that is around you. Those feelings in the form of hugs, smiles, kind words, and kinship are powerful healers to the body. I hope there will be a moment this holiday weekend when you are aware of how precious the love in your life is.

I hope you will take in a nice deep breath and feel profoundly blessed. This breath of gratitude is like a healing salve to your body and soul. It brings feelings of safety and inner calm by connecting us to all the good around us.

As we focus on what we have rather than what we don’t, racing thoughts turn into goodwill towards others. Within the body, your immune system is strengthened and your energy level is boosted. As we simplify, we purify through:

Less sugar

Less empty calories

Less overeating

Less fatigue

Less judgment

Less wanting for things

Less stress…

There is much to be gained in having “less.” Maybe it really is “more.”

Happy Thanksgiving--and thank you for reading. I am grateful that you do.

And thank you, Rhett, I will never forget your discerning perspective. It was a great gift to me.

I’ll see you in two weeks.

Love & health,

Loa