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Hello everyone! A warm welcome to all new subscribers! I ventured into my garden the other day, taking inventory of the damage winter inflicted upon my perennial beds. There's some serious clean up to be done. I have my work cut out for me. I can get overwhelmed just by looking around. But . . . I've been here before and I know that, eventually, it will all be done. I get the feeling that the garden is ready for a major change this year. I know I am! For now, I'm breathing and hoping for good weather. Everywhere I look, life is abundant. The daffodils and the crosuses are blooming and there are shoots coming up everywhere. The birds are singing their little hearts out and they're flying here and there and driving my kitty crazy. Misty is looking at them shaking and chattering. Sometimes I think she's ready to lunge right through the window. I wonder . . . are these birds aware of the danger lurking behind the glass pane? Are they simply oblivious or just plain, passive aggressive? :-))) Onwards! I hope you enjoy this month's newsletter. It's all about the fine balance between chaos and order, endings and new beginnings, taking action and letting go . . . you know, the stuff that life's made of. Many blessings for a truly enjoyable month. Yota
I was reading the newsletter from the Watershed Coalition the other day. They're organizing a "Clean up, Green up" day, down by the river. Winter took its toll and there's a lot of work to be done. As I read through, I was struck by this next paragraph: "You might notice that many trees and branches were ripped from the banks and into the river. Please leave them where they are. Nature is not neat. Those messy clusters of trees, branches, and leaves in the river provide wonderful habitat for aquatic insects, fish, and other river-dwelling creatures. The plant material will also help slow down the river's flow and help keep the river's sediment transport in balance." I couldn't help but think of how life's journey and cycles mirror nature's processes. Nature is not neat! What we deem messy, is part of nature's process of evolution and transformation. Life, like nature, is messy! Not everything makes sense, all the time. When we find ourselves in the aftermath of a difficult change and transition, we feel lost and uncertain. Our first inclination is to step up and do something about it. We don't want to feel idle and indecisive. We want to regain control. So, we go to work; cleaning up the "mess." We want everything put back together again; nice and neat. We jump at every chance to keep busy . . . thinking we'll feel better about ourselves and the situation. Alas, too often we act when we should wait and instead of moving forward, we end up landing right back where we started from. We don't stay still enough to consider why the "mess" happened in the first place. There are many aspects we can and have to explore, before we move forward. There are questions to contemplate. Like:
As the answers start bubbling to the surface, listen. Don't dismiss them. This is an exploration process. There is life and immense creativity percolating under the "mess." You need to give it time to manifest. If you really take the time and pay close attention, there are signs everywhere. Guidance is always available for those who seek it. What we all need to develop is trust. Trust in our life's process and trust in ourselves. Gardening has taught me to go with the flow and enjoy the surprising ways in which, my garden reorganizes and transforms itself. There is so much happening under the surface that I have no way of knowing. When the process is complete, invariably I'm presented with a new direction that may have nothing to do with my own, initial planning. The question always is . . . am I willing to go with the flow or am I going to reject this new order of things and start uprooting what is trying to bloom? For me, and I suspect for most people, it's a mix. Some things are just not right for our life's garden and, after giving them a chance . . . off to the compost pile they go. Others, are here to stay. They are the perfect fit. Holding on to the way things used to be, can limit the flow of possibilities and slow down our transformation process. Now, who needs that? I've had my share of change and I'm pretty sure it's not over yet. I've had my moments of doubt, fear and confusion along the way. Inevitably, upon finding myself on the other side, I realized I couldn't have planned it any better myself. I had arrived where I belonged and I was happy about it. Life's not meant to be neat and orderly. It's creative chaos. I appreciate how this can be intimidating to many of us. Developing trust and curiosity are great tools along the way. Is there anything in your life right now that's crying for a change? Are you resisting it? Do you catch yourself getting lost in details but ignoring the big picture? Even that's part of the process. If you're not ready and clear as to what's next, don't try to hide the "mess." Observe closely. Wait until you see life stirring between the dead branches. Decide what needs to be removed and what needs to stay right where it is. Experiment, see how it goes and move forward. That's what life is after all . . . forward motion! _____________________ ©2011 Open for Success.
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