50 Seeds

Seek and you will find…

50 Days Ago, I wrote Ago and From Now. I had just completed an intentional experiment seeking peace in my daily living. I reflected on the experiment and how the practice of beginning each day by paying attention helped plant a seed. That seed of attention grew to awareness, and my awareness allowed me to see the many opportunities to find peace throughout the day. 50 days of daily intention and attention had a profound effect on the lens in which I viewed my outlook and my interactions and my days. It was a great way to start my 50th year.

The Next 50 Days, I chose to focus my attention on joy and how I could find more joy in my life. One of my favorite scriptures comes from Galatians 5, the “Fruit of the Spirit” passage. I’ve always been drawn to this passage, and have written about it frequently, because of the power and simplicity. This is what spiritual living looks like: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness… It’s a short list, but each work packs quite a punch. Each work reveals a quality that shows spiritual maturity. Each word deserves our attention and intention. I chose the focus of my next 50 days from this list, and for 50 days, I chose to plant the seeds of Joy.

Here I am, 50 Days Later. Every day, I began my gratitude journal writing the word “JOY” at the top of the page. It was my daily intention to find joy in the big and small moments and interactions of life. I look back and realize the impact of this daily intent. One side effect of this experiment was that I smiled more. When I pay attention to people and situations, I see the imperfection and innocence of humanity. People just being people doing the things people do. When we view others by who they are, it’s easier to share in the beauty of their humanity. When we see the things that happen to us without judgement, we can just observe. And oftentimes, just smile. I really enjoyed watching that seed grow.

For the past week, I’ve been thinking about My Next 50. What can I focus on that will bring me peace and joy, and continue to help me build this compelling life? What seed can I plant each day. For me, the answer is clear. Patience. As I weave the fabric of this well-lived, compelling life, I understand the practice of patience is a critical ingredient. I look back and see that I was seeking peace, planting the seed of peace, and finding more peace. I was seeking joy, planting the seed of joy, and finding more joy. Now, I’m seeking more patience, so I will have to plant the seed of patience in order to find more patience. Patience with myself and others. Patience with my circumstances. Patience with the process of living. What a great seed to plant and quality to grow.

What about you? How did Your Last 50 days go? What are you planting and growing? What do Your Next 50 days look like? What will you plant and grow. I challenge you to plant some seeds. Find something to pursue. Write it down. Watch the seeds grows. Seek. Plant. Find. I wish you the best on your quest to grow and live life better.

Photo by Francesco Gallarotti on Unsplash