When More Becomes Too Much
The other day, I came across an article discussing how modern life has become more convenient than ever, yet many people seem to feel less healthy, less fulfilled, and somehow disconnected from life itself.
As I read it, I found myself thinking about something I had written eight years ago.
Back then, I wrote:
“Too much, even of something good, can become a kind of poison. Perhaps having a little less makes life richer.”
Eight years have passed.
Today, I believe those words more than ever.
The world has changed dramatically.
We have instant access to almost everything.
Food is available whenever we want it.
Entertainment never stops.
Information follows us everywhere.
Life has become incredibly convenient.
Yet sometimes I wonder…
Has convenience quietly taken away something important?
About six months ago, I made a very simple change.
I stopped eating simply because it was lunchtime or dinnertime.
Instead, I waited until I was genuinely hungry.
At first, it wasn’t easy.
My body expected food at certain times.
My mind kept telling me I should eat.
But little by little, something changed.
For years, I had always felt as though there was food sitting in my stomach.
I wasn’t truly hungry.
I wasn’t truly satisfied either.
No meal surprised me anymore.
Nothing felt especially delicious.
I wanted richer flavors.
Bigger meals.
Constant stimulation.
Looking back, I think that was my warning sign.
Eating only once a day isn’t really the point.
What mattered was what I discovered.
Now, whenever I occasionally eat the way I used to, I can actually feel my stomach becoming tired.
I had forgotten what it feels like to let my body rest.
More importantly…
I remembered something else.
I remembered what it felt like to genuinely look forward to dinner.
Not because it was expensive.
Not because it was extraordinary.
Simply because I was truly hungry.
Somewhere along the way, I had lost that feeling.
Perhaps abundance works like that.
When everything is available all the time,
nothing feels truly special anymore.
Maybe this doesn’t apply only to food.
Maybe it also applies to information.
To entertainment.
To shopping.
To technology.
Perhaps even to happiness itself.
I’m not suggesting that we should reject modern life.
Convenience is wonderful.
Technology has improved our lives in countless ways.
But perhaps…
there is something valuable about leaving a little space.
A little hunger.
A little waiting.
A little silence.
Eight years ago, I wrote:
“Too much, even of something good, can become a kind of poison.”
Today, I believe those words more than ever.
Maybe having a little less doesn’t make life poorer.
Maybe it helps us notice how rich life already is.
P.S.
My friend, Mr. SE, would probably tell me,
“This isn’t the kind of article people expect.”
He may be right.
But sometimes, writing what feels true to me is reason enough.
And perhaps, somewhere in the world, someone feels the same.
Originally written in Japanese and adapted for English readers.
出張や観光で霧島に来られた方で、
静かに過ごせる場所を探している方は、こちらもご覧ください。
