Growth

Springtime fills me with wonder. With just enough sunshine and warmth, the plants and trees burst forth. It really is a bursting. Within days, the growth is remarkable. These beauties of nature want to stretch, grow, and bloom. I'm amazed every single spring. The magic never gets old.

Meditation teachers often talk about sowing seeds of joy, happiness, and contentment. Spring is a natural metaphor for life and personal growth. Which of our seeds grow? The ones to which we attend; the ones we water and nurture. If we want to live with more ease and happiness, then we must water the seeds of gratitude, silence, reflection, love, and kindness. Whatever habits we practice are the habits that are strengthened. I see this again and again.

Monday at dinner, Mark and I discussed the human habit of watering unhealthful seeds. There's so much to grab our attention: email, texting, gizmos, social media. I got completely caught in the major changes to Flickr and what I perceived as an immediate need to update my page. Mark mused that we often allow the attention grabbing to crowd out the activities we most value. That is exactly what I'd done. In my heart, I knew I'd benefit from meditation, writing, or staring at the backyard; but in my monkey mind I chose to spend an hour on Flickr. And I felt the negative repercussions: anxiety and fear. This is the human habit. But it's always possible to change--at this very moment.

I have sown seeds both in my yard and in my heart. How often I water these seeds is up to me; it's my choice. Slowing down helps me see more clearly. Gentleness eases the process. And laughter lightens my mood. (As does wandering through the backyard looking at all the new growth.)