― Lin Yutang

I’ve always had a profound respect and admiration for Asian culture. The slowness, the wisdom, the not-too-witty-but-supremly revealing proverbs, and the simplicity of the culture.

This has a lot to do with my martial arts training as a kid, but at the time, I didn’t respect the teachings for what they were: life-changing. It was more about kicking and punching and being fast like Bruce Lee.

Which I still love, don’t get me wrong.

But now, as I am older, and a bit wiser, I revisit some of the teachings of my childhood idols and the culture that produced the “arts” that I so respected and sought as an impressionable kid.

Nowadays, I look to the teachings of Buddha and Taoism. I think about, and write about, the art of Wu wei, which literally translates to non-action or non-doing.

I try to embrace the power of simplicity and the power of doing less, not more. (Of course, as far as this goes, it’s a major work in progress.)

When I think of a figure in Asian culture worth admiring, I now think of the old grandmaster that isn’t showy or flashy and always has a line or two of wisdom for his pupils.

This is a reminder to slow down. To act without acting; to appreciate the beauty of the moment; to say more by saying less; to do more by doing less.

Here’s to the power in simplicity and the moment.

After all, this moment may be your last, or my last. Hell, it could be our last. Savior it, appreciate it, use it wisely. Then repeat the process again the next moment.