Marie Curie's Health Secrets: Simplicity in Life
While reading "The Life of Marie Curie," I once focused my attention on a simple dining table and two chairs in her parlor.
Marie’s father once offered the couple a set of luxurious furniture, but they politely declined. The reason was that maintaining such furniture consumed too much time. To avoid idle conversation, they never added a third chair. Two chairs made the couple partners in scientific endeavors. Without extra chairs, they stayed free from worldly distractions. Ultimately, they reached the pinnacle of science and enjoyed the splendid view of life.
This reminds me that many people in China assume Westerners live extravagantly. Yet recently, a newspaper article stated that simplicity is currently popular in France. For example, clothing tends to be casual—fabrics are mostly cotton or synthetic fibers, rarely wool, especially expensive fur coats.
In Germany, although many can afford Mercedes-Benz cars, driving one through crowded city streets invites disdain. Due to environmental concerns, most families opt for small-displacement vehicles. Many enjoy cycling during holidays. In the U.S., hotel televisions are often ten years behind those in China. In San Francisco, the wooden cable car designed in 1873 is still in operation. Clearly, Westerners today pursue a simple lifestyle.
Conversely, in China, many people work tirelessly every day—early out, late home—chasing luxury homes, high-end cars, and lavish meals. After exhausting efforts, even if they achieve their goals, they also suffer from polluted air and modern diseases like hyperlipidemia. Life’s paradoxes are sometimes like this: when you possess too much unnecessary stuff, you may lose something truly precious.
Because I travel frequently, I’ve learned how to pack only what’s necessary. Though the bag is small, it replaces several rooms at home. It contains change of clothes, books to read, a radio, common medicines, and toiletries. This bag enables me to stay away for weeks or months without feeling anything missing. Upon reflection, daily life and travel aren’t so different. Sometimes you need a chair—not just for your body, but for your soul to rest.