“Water, water, water....There is no shortage of water in the desert but exactly the right amount , a perfect ratio of water to rock, water to sand, insuring that wide free open, generous spacing among plants and animals, homes and towns and cities, which makes the arid West so different from any other part of the nation. There is no lack of water here unless you try to establish a city where no city should be.”
— Edward Abbey
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Are you feeling overwhelmed by the constant demand to do more? 🌵 Edward Abbey reminds us that true abundance comes from balance, not excess: "Water, water, water....There is no shortage of water in the desert but exactly the right amount... There is no lack of water here unless you try to establish a city where no city should be." How do you create intentional space for yourself in a busy world? Share your thoughts below! 👇
About this quote
In our modern, fast-paced world, we often fall into the trap of believing that 'more' is the only way to find fulfillment. We chase more wealth, more connections, and more achievements, mistakenly believing that our perceived emptiness is a sign of scarcity. But Edward Abbey’s wisdom suggests a different truth: abundance isn't about the quantity of what we possess, but the perfect balance of what we allow to exist within our lives. Just as the desert finds its beauty in the precise ratio of water to stone, our lives find their meaning in the spaces between our responsibilities and the boundaries we set for our souls. This quote serves as a profound life lesson on the importance of respecting our natural limits. We often feel burned out or depleted not because we lack resources, but because we are trying to build 'cities'—heavy expectations, cluttered schedules, and overwhelming ambitions—in mental or emotional spaces that were meant for stillness and breathing room. To find true peace and sustainable growth, we must learn to stop forcing excess into places that require simplicity. When we honor our own natural rhythms and embrace the 'wide, free, open' spaces in our lives, we discover that we already have exactly what we need to thrive.
Photo Credit:
Photo by Alexander Kaufmann on Unsplash
