“The greatest wealth 
is to live content 
with little.” 
Plato

I visited a friend’s home on Friday afternoon. He lives in a studio apartment in an upscale senior living facility in Los Gatos. The grounds of the facility are neatly groomed, with the perfect a balance of colorful shrubs, plants, trees, and grass throughout the complex. When I entered his apartment, I was unprepared, and pleasantly surprised, to see what I can only describe as a minimalist decor. I was quite impressed.

The apartment has a moderate-sized living room/dining room area adjacent to an adequate-sized kitchen. The bedroom, which is more like an alcove, looks out to the middle of the living space. From the bedroom one can access the bathroom and closet. Opposite the bedroom is a sliding-glass door which opens to a small outdoor patio. At the end of the living space opposite the kitchen there is one more room. It’s small, but large enough to use for a cozy office space. My friend chooses to use it for storage of a few items.

The furniture in the apartment, what little of it there is, is quite functional. A small table is situated just outside the kitchen area in what one could consider the dining room. Next to that is a computer table and office chair. The only other items in the living space are a futon-type couch for two, a 2-shelf bookcase, and a small coffee table. I’m pretty sure I recall seeing two framed images on the wall.

In the bedroom, there was a bed. That’s it. Just a bed. I’m guessing that the bedroom closet provides enough space for a dresser or chest of drawers. As I mentioned, there were a few items in the smaller room, but the space could never be described as cluttered.

What was missing in the apartment? The most obvious omission is a television. He does have internet access, but no cable connection. With no TV, there’s no need for it. There’s also no stereo sound system with speakers. It’s not that my friend cannot afford such items. In fact, he has the financial resources to fill his home with any number of luxury items he might want, but he chooses not to do so. He has what he needs. For him, that’s enough. 

American author Vernon Howard would consider my friend to be successful. I do, too. Howard wrote, “You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need.” How sad that such contentment is so rare in our society today. 

It is all too common today for personal happiness to be equated with the accumulation of material possessions. How important it is for so many people to have the 65-inch TV, which is currently the most popular size for new purchases in the United States. And true success and happiness is clearly indicated by the purchase of a Tesla, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or other high-end vehicle, right? 

Bigger, better, more,… American consumers seem to have an insatiable desire to have more than we need. Why? I’m sure the answer varies from person to person. This is precisely why I am so impressed by the simplicity with which my friend chooses to live his life. He is successful. He is happy. He has everything he needs. Wow! I’m impressed.