Sometimes we find ourselves going through life in a routine, or we are waiting for the next phase. When asked, we often say things are okay, nothing much is happening. The truth is, there is never nothing happening. When we start developing a subtle sense of awareness, we not only observe things that otherwise we had probably missed for years together, we start noticing things about ourselves every day. We then realise that we are not just going through life, but we are growing through life.
In tough times, we grow our resilience and courage. In fortunate times, we grow our gratitude, humility, and generosity. No matter what we go through, we grow through it.
However, growth is not just restricted to times when we are faced with the highs and lows of life Our regular routine day presents us opportunities that we often miss. The attention to detail in the smallest thing we do, curbing our petty irritation when things don’t go as planned, giving our full attention to conversations rather than being distracted by our phone, and when we find time on hand, filling it not with boredom but quiet reflection and re-centering ourselves. What seems like an ordinary day can be an extraordinary growth opportunity.
We often categorise things and events in life as big and small, making a big deal of big things and treating small things as inconsequential. We may not realise it, but the latent expectation and desire for big things to happen, takes away the immense joy little things can give us. When we learn to take the biggest things in our stride, making them small with faith and gratitude, and give the smallest things our full attention and importance, making them the biggest thing at that moment, we grow to realise a fundamental truth – nothing in life is big or small, everything ‘is’. Evenness of mind in big and small is growth.
We may be walking with our feet, but the real journey is inwards. The choice is ours – we can just go through life, or with each step grow through life.
(Picture – Scone castle, Perth – Scotland)
Most of us are not even aware of our ‘Inner self’. When we are pushed to the extremes, we suddenly tend to turn inward. With a little guidance from a wise person it can become a significant turning point in life!