All Walks of Life

Lessons From Nature–This Time From an Agapanthus

Our lives take many twists and turns.  Some are forced upon us just by the general nature of us living on planet earth with billions of other people.  But sometimes we make our own choices, calculated or not. Sometimes we simply interpret something a certain way, perhaps two of us may interpret or react to the SAME thing in totally different ways.  Why? Because we are each unique, with innate, unique gifts. YOU are unique–ONE OF A KIND—and that’s a GOOD thing! Be your BEST you! 

There is something at the root of us all-I believe-that connects us though.  I noticed this agapanthus this week. All of these shoots are coming from the same roots, the same plant.  They are within inches of each other and receiving the same sunlight and shade. And I thought, the way they are all growing in their own way reflects how we humans live our lives.

This shoot has its eye on a goal and is headed straight for it.  Directly, taking no turns, accepting no obstacles. Is it taller than the rest?  No, not really. Will it bloom before the others? I will let you know. Will it bloom bigger?  I will let you know that as well.

This shoot is either shy and trying to hide from what is good for it.  Headed away from the light and back down into the darkness. I know that the sun will not allow for this.  No matter how hard this shoot reaches for the dark shade and thick underbrush of the roots, the sun will continue to shine on it and it WILL turn around and head back on the right path.

This one looks like it tried to do the same thing but saw that the sun is good and turned around to reach for the light.  But what a twist and turn it took!! Is that a bad thing? Not really. When we take a detour in our own lives and head in the wrong direction for a while maybe we make some friends along the way, maybe we help someone out with the unique gifts that we have.  MAYBE it was following that second shoot, gave it a second thought and high tailed it out of there earlier!  We can learn from the mistakes of others…even if we tag along for a while making bad choices ourselves.  We can leave those situations a little earlier than others do.

This shoot is going straight-ISH.  Story of my life!  In fact…here in lies MY uniqueness.  I definitely see my path as reasonably flexible.  I turn but would prefer not to twist per se. I meet and influence and AM influenced by many people along this winding path.  I am not the rigid type. I think that there is much to be learned from others that only strengthens what I truly believe to be at my core.  What I truly believe to be the ultimate truth or “way,” if you will. 

I know I always have my eye on the goal but I DEFINATELY make choices to steer away from them so that I’m looking at them over my shoulder instead of directly AT THE GOAL.  My feet go one way while my eyes are looking in the direction that I should be going.  I tell my students the same thing when they are sitting during a lesson or listening to a speaker.  To sit with their whole body facing the speaker.  Because if their body is facing their friend while the speaker is talking, it is their friend they are going to see and follow when they look up to make eye contact. 

Right now…today…I am HIGHLY focused on the goal.  I have spent a decade allowing myself to be dragged in a spiral away from a life I know that I’m destined for.  Through it all, I had my eyes on that lovely life full of light but I got farther and farther away. This season, right now, I AM that second shoot.  I am so glad that like that third shoot one can always turn that ship around and start heading back in the right direction.

What about you?  What actual direction are you headed in right now? What kind of story can you tell about where you’ve been and where you’re headed now?