As someone who grew up in Japan but has lived for many decades overseas, I have developed a special appreciation for things and concepts that remind me of my home. In this essay, I would like to touch on a uniquely Japanese concept of simplicity. The Western concept of ideal beauty often has to do with something spectacular, perfect, and lasting. In the center of the Wabi-Sabi concept, however, are simplicity, imperfection, and impermanence. In Western cultures, we often think that more is better and strive for something bigger. One simple example is a large vase full of flowers in full bloom with many vibrant colors as opposed to a Japanese Ikebana arrangement with just a few flowers that may not yet have blossomed. They are both beautiful in different ways. Although I enjoy a large bouquet of colorful flowers, something about the simplicity of Ikebana evokes serenity. Wabi-Sabi also teaches us to find beauty in imperfection. Embracing the change and transformation shows us that a flower is beautiful in all stages of its life. It also teaches us the inevitable law of everything being impermanent. Nothing lasts forever. Instead of trying to make things last, surrendering to the impermanence nature of life is beautiful. Another example is a Japanese Sumi-e painting. It has its roots in Zen Buddhism, and the core concept of Sumi-e painting is simplicity. Painted in black ink with varying shades, Sumi-e is to reduce the world to the core and bare form of elegance. A Sumi-e painting often has a simple subject and a lot of empty space. The empty space is not wasted space; it is very much an important part of the image – as if an important message is in what is not said. Emptiness or nothingness may seem like a negative concept to a Western mind, but learning to appreciate it helps us to see more and to be mindful. Appreciating beauty in simplicity awakens our senses to serendipity that we may otherwise miss.