Can life be so simple? Do only three things matter when all is said and done? I think I can handle three things. And you?

These are the three things that the Buddha said matter.

1. How much you loved,

2. How sweetly you lived,

3. With what grace you let go of things that are not for you.

Let’s take one at a time and see how we do it.

For me, love means that you surround everything and everyone with good will. Yes, you should love things as much as people, according to this definition. You wish all the good fortune. You don’t wish harm on anyone. You work for the good of all. You work particularly well to help those closest to you have a good life.

You do everything to make your love unconditional, without strings attached. (This doesn’t mean you let people run you over and call that love. That’s self-destruction.) As far as possible, stay in peace and goodwill with everyone and everything.

It follows, then, from your unconditional love, which extends to yourself, by the way, that you live as smoothly as you can. What is the definition of gently? I define it to mean that you leave as little footprint as possible as you travel through this world and the lives of others.

Your life can certainly have great meaning if you so desire. In my opinion, it means that things like bullying, racism, sexism, and ageism don’t get in your way. It means making a conscious effort to be considerate and kind. This may seem contradictory, but it really isn’t. Going smoothly through life will ease your way through life.

Life is a course of encounters and events. Every time you bump into something or someone, even intellectually, a friction arises between the two bodies that meet. Therefore, the more lubricating substance there is between the two entities that meet, the smoother and more peaceful life will be for all involved. Courtesy towards everyone, if possible, is such a fat.

Letting go gracefully is the final element in the Buddha’s wisdom on the three things necessary for a good life. This idea covers a considerable province. You were not meant to have too much stress in your life. Let go of unnecessary tension.

From time to time you get entangled in relationships that become poisonous or oppressive. Although it may be difficult for you, you need to detach yourself from emotions that are poisonous or enslaving. You were not meant to burden yourself with such poisonous encounters. I chose human relationships to bring to this writing because they are some of the most difficult to separate. These enormous psychological ramifications can accumulate in human relationships.

However, there may come a time when you need to break through, literally or figuratively. At a minimum, a certain detachment is appropriate because we are all separated by death at one time or another. If you have not faced this eventuality, you need to do so to ensure a happy life.

You may need and want to grieve the loss of someone important in your life. That is quite natural. But if you find yourself unable to let go, gracefully or not, you will suffer beyond measure.

So, gracefully let go of anything that isn’t really for you: the fancier, the better. Life is a series of encounters, all of which eventually pass. If you think these are morbid thoughts, you haven’t yet seen the joy of letting go gracefully.

Life is that simple. Follow these three of Buddha and your life will be happier and easier than you imagined.

1. Love healthily,

2. Live softly,

3. Let go gracefully.