A human being needs only half a mat ...

... when awake, a whole mat when asleep. —Old Japanese saying I contemplate the simplicity in this wise and humble teaching and decide to spend more time on the floor. Though I don't sit on a tatami mat to eat or visit with friends, I imagine how content one can feel occupying just a small space. We are all the same in our desire for a full belly and time to linger with those we enjoy. An hour on the floor with my family gives new meaning to the phrase "down to earth."