Spring, its finally here!
So, there was one week of intense sunshine and then an incredible transformation occurred. Trees that had absolutely no leaves on them, suddenly had bright greens and flowers emerged at the end of this fateful week. The gardens, parks and streets were lined almost spontaneously with vibrant earthy colours, buzzing with life and freshness.
As a great fan of colour, I look forward to this time of year; to blossoming flowers, warm temperatures and nature's
greening energy. However, this year's spring was rather delayed and somewhat confusing. By the end of February, it was still bitterly cold with loads of rain, windstorms and, in some parts of Europe, snow! No doubt, the frequent changes in yearly weather patterns is due to climate change, driven in no small part by the tons of greenhouse gases we emit into the atmosphere.
Nature, The Best Coach
When it finally became brighter, warmed by the emerging patterns of varieties of flowers, blue skies and trees bearing 'miraculously' green leaves, I stood in awe. You could literally hear collective voices say, simultaneously, with relief .....'Aahhhhh, the sun'!
I went for a jog along my usual route one morning and found my feet under a splash of colours which beautifully ornamented a luscious carpet of grass --- colours that barely existed the week before.
I wondered just how it could be. How did it happen? I then realized that nature knows how to perfectly wait for the right conditions and combinations and to seize the opportunity to burst into its joyous brilliance. While most of us moaned and groaned about the bitter cold and darkness of winter, nature was patient in silence and proactive under cover, using what was available until the moment was presented to it --- not wasting but using it to its maximum potential.
I learnt an important lesson --- the ability of nature to take what it's given, patiently, staying true to itself and purpose, no matter the timing and humans' unfortunate exploitation. And nature taught me this freely :) The words of Todd Henry in Die Empty about relentlessly focusing on and contributing to what one truly believes, then made perfect sense. This may not be the road most travelled but it certainly defines a path of transition required to create great work.
