The Seeds of Change

We are in a period of chaos and disruption, with the future a big unknown.  It can seem scary at times, to be forced out of our comfort zones, to have the fabric of everyday life change as dramatically as it has this year, but new ways of thinking and being always require a disruption of old patterns.

I love to garden, so I’m envisioning this idea in a way that I (and hopefully you) can relate to.  Imagine that I have a landscaping design in my head -- I’m visualizing beautiful flowers or red ripe tomatoes and juicy cucumbers.  In order to start my garden, I have to till up the soil, get rid of the weeds and disrupt what is currently in place. Those weeds, worms, insects and whatever else is in the soil are in a state of extreme chaos; their world has been turned upside down and all around. 

But, after the old has been cleared away, I can plant seeds and begin to grow something new; a lovely garden.

If we apply this analogy to our current national and world situation, we can see that right now, we don’t know what that “something new” will be.  I’m sure we’re all hoping and praying that The Master Gardener has it all under control; that there is a design and a vision that will lead us to global peace and unity.  On a smaller scale, we may just want or need to be able to provide for our families, to function in whatever this changed state will look like.

We may be asking ourselves what our role is now, what we can possibly do to effect positive change, to contribute to whatever this master plan is.

We’ve probably all heard of “The Butterfly Effect”, which is based on scientific “Chaos Theory”.  The main idea is that a minor difference at the start of a process can make a major change as time progresses: a butterfly flapping its wings can have an effect on weather patterns in a different part of the world.  According to chaos theory, changes may appear random and chaotic at first, but if we pay close attention to what is going on, patterns will begin to emerge.   

So, to put this in terms that we can relate to, what we think and do really does matter.  Each prayer, each act of kindness, each positive thought, creates a small ripple effect that may have consequences that we are not even fully aware of. 

We can start to clear away the weeds of fear and self-doubt and start to plant our own seeds of change. As the saying goes, “be the change you want to see in the world”.

Breathe deeply, trust the process and create a positive ripple this morning

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