Clouds of Life

As I head home I’ m thinking about the magic of aviation. Something that seemed unheardof 100 years ago is now commonplace and I find myself wondering what kind of things will be totally normal 100 years from now which we can’t even begin to fathom. How will we gennerate energy? What methods of new transportation and communication will weave through our lives? 

It is all very uncertain. Mysteries which tickle my imagination and leave me excited. In a way our journey through life is much like ascending a spiral staircase. We can barely see what’s around the immediate corner. All we really can do is take it step by step.

Right now as our plane is flying through clouds, I find a strong correlation between how the pilot is navigating through these skies with very little if any visibility. He does so with great confidence however with many lives in the palm of his hand. How does he do such a thing? It truely is amazing.

It is humbling leading a life in the middle of a cloud of uncertainty. Some may see the uncertainty and want to resist. Fighting to know as much as possible. Filling their minds with as much knowledge hoping to create a bit of clearing.

In this information age, many of us are seeking for more and more knowledge, hoping that we’ll find the Holy Grail. The grain of truth that will give us true understanding as to how to navigate through the cloudy skies of life or to climb our own personal staircase.

There is nothing wrong with this at all but what I’m finding is that I’m never going to stumble upon the one great insight that will mark my quest complete.

What I do think is important is to find our own navigational tools that take the pressure off our job of piloting. For everyone may find these tools in different places and means, as many of us are on different flights to different destinations. However, we all share a fundamentally similar flight

Tools that I have found most useful are a sense of humor, quiet time alone, joyful experiences with loving family and friends, a labor of love, creative expression, and a sense of connection to my community.

Many of these things sound simple but have taken a great deal of searching to pin down.

With these tools, what I once saw as a battle of life where we must struggle to rise above others has shifted. Now I look around and see life as more of a video game. Life is a space to play. To try on different “hats” and see which fit best. Our life journey will probably entail a wide variety of hats. If you don’t feel like your current hat fits quite right then you might want to try on a different hat. Now’s the time to go for it! That doesn’t mean you need to go out and quit your dayjob tomorrow but it could mean taking up a new hobby or beginning to keep a journal of what interests you.

I heard some wise words that really reaonated with me: find something you would pay to do, then find a way to get paid to do it! Sounds pretty cool, eh?

For me this journey has led me to gardening, then urban farming. It started by planting a seed. Litterally and metaphorically. What started as a small 4×4 foot garden plot in my front yard has evolved into the transformation of our neighborhood block, lining 2/3 of it in community gardens, meeting each other, interacting and growing community. I’ve met more neighbors than I ever would have by simply bringing my passion from behind my privacy fence out into the open.

A front yard community garden bed opens the door to community building

What excites you? What do you do that makes time seem to disappear? Once you find out either on your own time or with those around you, try asking yourself how you can bring this to your community. I’ve had many folks stop by admiring my garden letting me know it has inspired them in one way or another. You never know how making your personal passions more public can transform our world.

In a world where the illusion of our division and separateness is constantly reinforced by newspapers and TV, we need reminders that as human beings we really are much more alike than it often seems.

Once you find something you love. Do that one thing. Don’t put pressure on yourself. Just do it because it makes you smile and then share it with the world. You never know what your seed will grow into!

Do something today that your future self will thank you for!