Life, an Endless Cycle of Seeding, nurturing and Reaping
Life is all about cycles and seeding on a global and individual level. Knowing what season you’re in at any point in life helps you to not only plan better but also navigate challenges well.
I was on a retreat in the countryside in October. It was a lovely place in Dorset with plenty of open spaces, revealing a beautiful terrain of greenery and where there was an unrestricted view of sunset, sunrise, and a vast blue sky.
One morning during my devotion time, I was looking out of the windows at the view of the meadows. In front of me was a beautiful green lawn that stretched out a few acres wide and long and there were trees and shrubs fencing the meadows.
Among the green trees, two small trees stood in front of the other green trees, bare and stripped of all their leaves. It was the middle of autumn, and the leaves on the other trees hadn’t yet changed colour from the distance of my view.
I was pondering over this when I began to sense that my life over the past few years has felt like these two trees stripped of their leaves in the same terrain as other trees that appeared to be thriving.
Times and season
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: – Eccl 3:1, (NIV)
I have been in a season of constant challenges and no matter how resilient I tried to be, more challenges kept coming, and while others seemed to thrive, I was in an endless battle.
Till one day I sat down to evaluate my life and figure out what needed to change.
Change, especially big ones, can be very daunting, but necessary for your journey into the next season and when you work with the process, you will later ask yourself, in hindsight, why you took so long to yield and begin.
Though, like me, it may take you longer to figure out what needs to change, and that is all part of the mandatory course we all have to take to advance in the University of Life.
Life is an endless cycle of seeding, nurturing and reaping rewards, good or bad, according to the seeds we’ve sown. The cycle never stays stagnant, nor does it produce according to what you want, but what you’ve sown.
From dust to the biggest of the flowering plant families.
I read in a Kew Gardens article an orchids seed is the size of a speck of dust, but one capsule of the American Cycnoches chlorochilon produces four million seeds, according to Seed Morphologist, Wolfgang Stuppy, Kew Gardens.
For the four million seeds to come to life, one little seed the size of a speck of dust had to be planted and die in the ground first. Isn’t. That is incredible! The same principle is true of all seeds.
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. – John 12:24, (NLT)
The cycle of life in humans
In humans, cycles begin with conception, embryo development, birth, growth, childhood, adolescence to adult, reproduction, old age and death. This process occurs by nature, as it needs no input from us to happen.
But in between these cycles are processes that occur by our nurturing on a continuum, like studying to get good grades at school and gaining entrance into a university or securing an apprenticeship position, studying for your Masters, Doctorate, earning an income to pay bills; investing assets for a profitable return and you can fill in the blanks.
Life’s a continuing learning curve
Life, is an endless cycle of seeding developmentally all our journey through. To stop is to stagnate.
Learning continues after academic studies. We learn about a new job and keep leaning fresh developments in our chosen field. We lean how to manage our money and we learn about ourselves and others in new relationships.
With the proliferation, advancement and constant change in technology, learning is even more crucial as well as strategising on how to use technology as leverage to enhance our productivity.
The cycles of behaviour we repeat
Life is an endless cycle of seeding to habitual pattens. We all have good echo systems that we have developed over time that enable us to function well as an adult, like the daily chore of going to bed early and getting a goodnight’s sleep, waking up showering, going to work and taking care of our families.
But there could also be an echo system we’ve developed that is a blind spot and may not be serving us well. Learning about ourselves and listening to feedback from others who know us well with an open and willing heart can bring us to the first stage towards breaking unhealthy cycles and making a change.
It could be a habit of allowing excessive worry to have too much control over your mind and rob you of peace in certain scenarios. For others, it could be an anger issue when driving in certain conditions or motorways and using unsavoury language.
Others may have developed a learned addictive behaviour as a mechanism to medicate inner trauma. This behaviour is far from adding anything good, but creates an echo system that cycles defeat continuously.
People suffering from addictions need professional help to resolve deeply entrenched issues. If that’s you, speak to your health practitioner and give permission to your family and Church community, if you’re a faith person, to provide the invaluable support you need.
Learning healthy cycles
I mentioned earlier about how an Orchid seed the size of a speck of dust produces four million seeds. Sowing and reaping is a natural order that occurs in all living organisms, including humans.
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.’ – Genesis 8:22, (NKJV)
This beautiful verse is a promise from God that the earth will continually orbit on its axis every 24 hours to bring us day and night. We will have a continuous cycle of seasons that impacts our weather and when we plant seeds, the earth will produce a harvest.
The principle of sowing and reaping is a natural principle of nature, not limited to just good seeds, but the seeds we choose to sow.
If you don’t sow any seeds you will produce a harvest by default. It’s healthy to analyse our lives on all levels and choose the seeds we want to nurture and grow. The harvest can be on a long term or short-term basis.
What is growing in your garden?
Life is an endless cycle of seeding, visualising and strategising for the future you want.
Imagine that your life is a massive garden of many acres. What seeds can you honestly say you’ve planted over the years and what harvest do you honestly expect?
You can carve out plots and name each one your goals. Here are examples that you could use or modify:
- Family Plot: A flower bed symbolising the family, with different flowers representing each family member.
- Faith: A Heart shaped flower bed representing your commitment to growing in your faith, individually and in community.
- Career Corner: A neatly arranged section with plants symbolising your professional achievements, like a tree for stability and growth.
- Hobby Area: A vibrant and diverse section showcasing your hobbies, with different plants or flowers representing each interest.
- Friendship Corner: A cosy spot with plants that represent the friends in your life, perhaps arranged in a circle to represent unity.
- Learning Bed: A space where various books or symbols of education are planted, reflecting your intellectual pursuits and ongoing learning.
- Travel Row: A path lined with stones or plants representing the different places you’ve travelled to or dream of visiting.
- Health Patch: A wellness area with plants symbolising your commitment to health and well-being.
Have a think about each area and change it to suit your chosen interests and think about the harvest you want in the next twelve months. Have a plan ready for the New Year on how you will nurture and grow your seed.
Some seeds may need extra time and effort, while others may just need the starting of a healthy echo system with minimum input.
Cultivating your garden
Life is an endless cycle of cultivating growth in the areas you want to see fruit.
Here are somethings you can do to cultivate growth in your garden life:
Family Plot:
- Regular Family Gatherings: Schedule and participate in regular family get-togethers or activities.
- Open Communication: Cultivate open and honest communication with family members to strengthen relationships.
- Support System: Be there for each other during both good and challenging times.
Faith Corner:
- Cultivating a habit of prayer, reflection, mediations and attending a faith-based Church where you can grow in community
- Joining a connect group where you can develop relationships, support and pray together
- Helping in your community in ways that work with your strength
Career Corner:
- Continuous Learning: Invest time in ongoing education and professional development.
- Goal Setting: Set and regularly review career goals to ensure a sense of direction and purpose.
- Networking: Cultivate professional relationships and networks within your industry.
.Hobby Area:
- Regular Practice: Dedicate time regularly to engage in hobbies and passions.
- Explore New Hobbies: Keep the garden diverse by trying out new activities and interests.
- Share with Others: Connect with like-minded individuals to enhance the enjoyment of hobbies.
Friendship Corner:
- Quality Time: Spend quality time with friends through regular meet-ups or calls.
- Meaningful Gestures: Show appreciation through gestures, such as remembering birthdays or sending supportive messages.
- Be Present: Be fully present during interactions, fostering deeper connections.
Learning Bed:
- Read Regularly: Cultivate a habit of reading and staying informed on various subjects.
- Attend Workshops/Classes: Enrol in courses or attend workshops to expand your knowledge.
- Document Insights: Keep a journal to reflect on and document key lessons.
Travel Row:
- Plan Regular Trips: Schedule and plan periodic travels to new places.
- Embrace Cultural Experiences: Immerse yourself in the local culture of the places you visit.
- Create Memories: Capture and cherish memories from each journey.
Health Patch:
- Regular Exercise: Establish a consistent exercise routine for physical well-being.
- Balanced Nutrition: Cultivate healthy eating habits for sustained energy and wellness.
- Mental Health Practices: Incorporate mindfulness, meditation, or stress-relief activities into daily life.
Remember, regular attention and care are essential for a garden to flourish. Adjust the frequency and nature of these actions based on your personal preference and circumstances.
Inspect your garden
Life is an endless cycle of seeding, nurturing and reviewing our plans. Have a plan in place to check up on your garden to see if weeds are choking the growth of your seeds. Some friendship circles could be weeds choking the life of your seed.
Reevaluate your circle of friends and you may need to exit or limit contact with groups that are not adding value to your seeds.
It could be the order of your life that needs evaluating, as you might be giving excessive time to areas that do not produce fruit. For example, too much TV or screen time. Put a limit on these areas and be the one to control the time you spend, not what’s on the screen.
Don’t be hard on yourself
There are conditions and seasons that affect the growth of a seed. Same with us, life can throw you a curve that can affect the capacity you have to devote to a particular area or there may be conditions outside of your control that impact growth.
Be gracious to yourself and journal your reasons for future reference. Do what you can and revisit them again.
This is not about having regimental end-of-year goals that you may not follow through, but creating a healthy echo system that becomes part of your lifestyle and naturally yields the results you want and more.
Joanne Sojinu, Author A Mother’s Prayers, Week by Week Devotional For Your Unborn Child
Citation:
Orchid Seeds: Nature’s tiny treasures, Key Garden’s Wolfgang Stuppy
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