I was struck by this quote by Robert Louis Stevenson, "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant." I believe we are definitely a society that judges the harvest. Look around at the large houses, flashy cars and the newest cell phones. Kids are worried about having the newest or most expensive clothing items. Yes, this is judged daily.
But does this truly bring happiness when people are continuously looking at the next bigger and better thing? How can you possibly achieve happiness or satisfaction in that way? Retailers are on to us. Commercials are always showing us why we need to "trade up" to the newest phone. Why have one blouse when you can have one in every color?!
Why do you suppose the harvest is so important?
People are stuck thinking and believing that to be truly happy, they need things. Big things. The best things. Growing up we are often told to choose the career path that leads to the most money. After all, money buys houses, cars, electronics, clothes, and etc. Where did this come from? When did we decide that in this game called life, we are winners when we have the best and most stuff?
Could it be that we value people so little that material things are more important? Gone are the days where family comes first. Gone are the days when we help our neighbors despite the inconvenience it causes us.
What about the seeds?
How can you have a harvest without seeds? It doesn't matter what you want to end up with, you need to start with a seed. And that is just the beginning. There needs to be nurturing and care for the best outcome, the biggest harvest. Different seeds bring a different harvest, so be careful what you plant! No, moderate or extreme nurturing brings about different results.
Have you ever seen a seed bigger than the harvest? No, it is all relative, but each seed grows into something larger.
Let's look at some of the seeds of life:
*Babies
*Ideas
*Hard work
*Kindness
Babies are the obvious seeds. They are new life, a fresh beginning. They can be taught, shaped and encouraged! Think about what would happen if each baby was cultivated by encouraging them to grow to be their best self. Not encouraged to be something we think they should be, but focusing on their own natural talents and abilities!
Ideas are the first place inventions, careers and other great things begin! Without ideas, there would be no successes or breakthroughs in science, medicine, travel, service....the list can go on forever.
Hard work can be the seed that helps us to continue on our journey. Some think of it as a foundation for which to build on. It can be a seed from which something beautiful grows!
Kindness can be a seed to grow something beautiful or the fertilizer to help something grow!
when you share kindness, you are planting the seed of kindness in others who can in turn, do the same. This can cultivate growth in many people!
What seeds do you plant??