Choice - A Gift
This month as we move forward with hope and renewal, we begin a discussion on one of my favorite topics: Choice.
As the summer continues on its path, my son and I noticed trees around the area beginning to change colors in preparation for fall. For over a week, we kept looking at the trees not believing our eyes. We talk about how we thought that it is too early for the leaves to begin changing colors. We kept looking trying to find out if it was just one kind of tree or if multiple trees were changing. We finally received our answer yesterday. While cleaning out some weeds, we noticed that the leaves on the weed were turning red. Upon further inspection, we found various levels of color change on different trees, shrubs, and weeds around the yard.
After a week of field research in leaf color change, I find it interesting that because we believed that it was too early for the trees to begin changing color, that it took a week to confirm this fact. I also begin to consider that while my son and I had the ability to choose what we perceived was happening, the trees were not able to choose. The trees were responding to their environment. Whether the color was created by lack of sunlight, last years summer storms, the early October snow or some other reason maybe an arborist could explain, the realization was that the trees respond to external influences.
While humanity also responds to external influence, we have also received a gift. The gift is choice. Just as my son and I could choose not to believe the trees were changing, after a week we were able to change our perceptions and choose to understand that the tree were getting ready for the fall. Here again, I look upon my life. Just as I was in disbelief that the trees were changing, what am I choosing to ignore in my own life? What can I choose to see differently? What is waiting for me to choose a new way of perceiving?
As we all enjoy the gift of choice this week, let us be open to discovering our patterns of perceptions. As we open our internal gift of choice, let us see what we can choose differently. What happens when we choose to look, see, act or do something in a new manner? What will happen within our everyday experience? How will our lives converge with our spiritual practice? Please email or write me with your experiences during this week. I look forward to reading the many rewards of allowing our gift of choice to flourish.
This month as we move forward with hope and renewal, we begin a discussion on one of my favorite topics: Choice.
As the summer continues on its path, my son and I noticed trees around the area beginning to change colors in preparation for fall. For over a week, we kept looking at the trees not believing our eyes. We talk about how we thought that it is too early for the leaves to begin changing colors. We kept looking trying to find out if it was just one kind of tree or if multiple trees were changing. We finally received our answer yesterday. While cleaning out some weeds, we noticed that the leaves on the weed were turning red. Upon further inspection, we found various levels of color change on different trees, shrubs, and weeds around the yard.
After a week of field research in leaf color change, I find it interesting that because we believed that it was too early for the trees to begin changing color, that it took a week to confirm this fact. I also begin to consider that while my son and I had the ability to choose what we perceived was happening, the trees were not able to choose. The trees were responding to their environment. Whether the color was created by lack of sunlight, last years summer storms, the early October snow or some other reason maybe an arborist could explain, the realization was that the trees respond to external influences.
While humanity also responds to external influence, we have also received a gift. The gift is choice. Just as my son and I could choose not to believe the trees were changing, after a week we were able to change our perceptions and choose to understand that the tree were getting ready for the fall. Here again, I look upon my life. Just as I was in disbelief that the trees were changing, what am I choosing to ignore in my own life? What can I choose to see differently? What is waiting for me to choose a new way of perceiving?
As we all enjoy the gift of choice this week, let us be open to discovering our patterns of perceptions. As we open our internal gift of choice, let us see what we can choose differently. What happens when we choose to look, see, act or do something in a new manner? What will happen within our everyday experience? How will our lives converge with our spiritual practice? Please email or write me with your experiences during this week. I look forward to reading the many rewards of allowing our gift of choice to flourish.
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