by Joan Kuper

Created on: August 01, 2011

Our world has much to teach us if we just pay attention. From observing Nature, to simple housekeeping acts, to paying attention to our interactions with others, we can grow in wisdom and self-knowledge.

Lessons from Nature 

* Darkness comes every day when the Sun seems to sink and disappear. In the morning the Sun rises again and brings forth light. If we keep faith even when all seems dark (lost) we may soon realize our worst fears were unnecessary.

* A seed appears to be lifeless. Placed in the ground, given nourishment, it can thrive and grow. A relationship and our personal growth both need nourishment/proper attention to survive and blossom and become the best it can be.

* When we allow compromise instead of being rigid in our thinking, we can avoid breaking down into illness. We see the same principle when we observe a tree bend in a strong wind. If the tree bends it will avoid breaking and therefore survive.

* Observing different reactions to the same event teaches us our world is affected by our own thinking. For example, one person may look at the rain and be depressed and complain. Another person might thoroughly enjoy seeing the rain as a time of washing buildings, streets and giving the trees and plants a drink of water. We are much more affected by what we think of events than the actual event.

Life Events

* If we get a splinter in our finger our body does everything to attack and remove that which does not belong. In the same way we should attack negative thoughts that do not belong and are not in our best interests.

* There is a special excitement about reuniting with people we have not seen for awhile. This is typical of what happens at reunions. There are smiles and hugs and feelings of joy and exhilaration. My personal belief is this is a preview of our experience at death.

Household chores

* Unattended, a table can gather dust over many months. While it accumulated over a long time, a simple act of wiping can eliminate months or even years of accumulated dirt. We may build up hurt feelings and resentment over a period of time, yet with an explanation and resulting awareness of a misunderstanding, we can have an ‘aha’ moment and be rid of the associated negatives immediately.

* If we neglect small piles of 'stuff' and let them accumulate, we will eventually have disorder. If we ignore and allow food, clothes, books, junk to accumulate without taking care of them, we can have a bigger mess with which we will have to deal. If we allow personal grudges to grow and fester, we can cause harm to others and to ourselves. We need to try to clear the air and forgive and/or reach a new point of view as soon as possible and move on.

These are but a very few basic simple truths the world around us can teach us. All we need to do is observe. God has set forth lessons in Nature. We need only to pay attention and even ask 'what can this teach me' and then contemplate the answer. Wisdom is all around us in the principles set forth in Nature and even in the most basic housekeeping and life.

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