What is Life-Giving? Seek the Light

From the moment the youngest stem bursts forth from the seed, it always seeks the light.

Majority of the plants need sunlight to survive.  Have you ever put a potted plant in the shade? or try to keep it away from sunlight? The new stem would start growing towards the nearest available source of sun.

That has always fascinated me.  It’s like watching a race to live.  Either the plant gets to the sun, or does not get enough, and starts to wither and die, unable to maintain its growth.

Do you start to see the similarity?

We are a lot like plants, albeit on a slower scale.

In the same way that plants seek the light, we as persons also seek our light, that which is life-giving for us.

What is life-giving for us can be many different things. Art, music, writing, managing, speaking, analyzing, you name it!  I think what’s important to note and accept is that we all have a collection of activities, tasks, and dreams that are life-giving for us.

There’s a freeing feeling that comes from deep within yourself when you do things that are life-giving for you.  Light, unburdened, full of energy, motion, and motivation, despite doubt and uncertainty.  It also feels like a lot of fun. What a blessing it is to have this feeling!

Yet, many times, we do not choose to do what is life-giving for us. We do not choose to do what is life-giving for ourselves.

We stand still where we are, or are caught in our fake act ineffective struggle to get to where we want to go, yet not really taking any real action.  The constant complaining wearing down the positivity and feelings of gratitude within us.  A plant doesn’t sit still and complain that its owner has not put it in a place that does not get enough sunlight. It grows, stretches, to the point of breaking even, to get what it needs to live.

I’ve been in that trap for a long, long, time. I would keep on complaining, and yet take no solid action towards my dreams and aspirations.  I did use the time to learn and educate myself, but looking back, even small steps of action should have been taken.

You will never be fully ready. You will never be fully prepared.  Go, do, and figure out things along the way.

In my experience and reflection, some of the enemies of our choosing what is life-giving for us are aimlessness, disconnectedness, and comfort.

What is your dream for life? What drives you? What is your why? The reality is, without any answers to those questions, we will not be guided in our decisions and choices.  A lot of the times we choose to drift along wherever the currents of life take us, going along with the plans that other people have for us.  But what about our plans? Our dreams? Those should also be respected and honored.

Don’t allow yourself to be swept away to where you don’t want to go.  Have purpose and focus.

In our now distraction-filled world, full of media, messages, and motion, it is easy to be disconnected.  We can be disconnected from others, not keeping in touch with relationships that have been healthy for us, relationships that support us and accept us.  Our preoccupation with work, immediate problems, and a feeling of helplessness all contribute to a sense of not knowing what we want anymore. Of not knowing where I am supposed to go, what to do.  Of not knowing and feeling what it is that is important for us.

Take time-out for yourself to do things you enjoy and have fun with, as well as to try out new things.  Doesn’t have to be big steps, just get started.

After a hard day of being battered and bruised by the many problems and concerns, that may not even be that important to us, we look for ways to make ourselves feel better.  It’s a basic human yearning.  We all want to feel good, and so we look for things that provide comfort for us, whether it’s just lazing in front of the TV, or surfing nonstop on the internet, or what have you.

This is where perseverance and grit comes in.  If we want to do more activities that are life-giving for us and more productive, we have to learn to act and move even if we are not feeling good.  More purposeful and directed use of our time is needed.

Coupled with aimlessness and disconnectedness, comfort is actually very dangerous.  I’ve met a lot of people settle with where they are because they have grown comfortable with it.  Even though that’s not necessarily their dream, or where they want to be. Not even close.  “This is all I can do. This is what’s given to me, I just have to accept it.” And then they keep complaining about where they are in their life and where their choices have lead them.  Everybody’s fault except their own.

Don’t get comfortable with where you don’t want to be.  Keep struggling.

Seek the light.  Seek what is life-giving.  Seek what is life-giving for yourself.