There's a danger in knowing or having too much

I was never a fan of big shopping malls. The idea of having too much options frightens me. I’ve never successfully bought anything from roaming the shops in malls like SM Megamall, SM North or Mall of Asia – not unless the product I absolutely need can only be purchased from there. But if I were to roam aimlessly in search for, let’s say, a pair of shoes, I’d end up not only tired, but also hungry (most especially hungry!), frustrated and not buying anything at all. I’d then go to the average size mall or shops and that’s where I’d settle with a simple purchase. I could’ve saved energy, time and money.

But that’s the point of big shopping malls after all, right? To lure you into staying and ripping you off your hard-earned money.

My point here is not about shopping. Rather, I’d like to emphasize the danger of having too many options, of having access to everything, to knowing that there is more out there.

When do we know when and where to stop looking and to start settling? Should we even settle after all? What if we chose to settle only to find out later that there’s something even better? What if we spent most of our time believing we’ve got what’s best for us, only to eventually encounter something that fits better, something that fits perfectly? Would you choose to abandon what you’ve always had, what we’ve always hold on to in hopes of experiencing the same amount, or even more, of happiness and satisfaction?

I’ve chosen to embrace a minimalist life in every single aspect of it possible. I’ve learned to lessen my options and work with less. How I manage to do that, I don’t know for now. It just sort of happens. I find solace and happiness in not knowing too much.

Perhaps it’s not that; perhaps it’s knowing (or feeling - yes, sometimes my feelings do get in the way, too) what to do with what I let myself know, happen or experience or what I continue to inform, to educate and to provide myself with.It's good to always have other options. It's reassuring to know that the world does not stop on what you can see, feel, or experience. Ironically, the infinity of choices, of worlds, of possibilities could also be comforting.