Reflections on Life Lived

Of course, at the end of our journey, we want that to read “a life lived well”, or “a life well-lived”.

I have spent time over the last several days contemplating and reflecting on my life thus far. I look at my birthday as a sort of personal “New Year”. The changing of the calendar year doesn’t mean that much to me, really. I’m not much into making New Year’s Resolutions. But, my birthday I take a little more seriously – not in a celebrating, let’s party kind of way. In fact, I prefer that not much is made of my birthday. Yes, I appreciate the “happy birthday” wishes, but don’t rely on a party or presents. In many ways, it’s just another day.

But, on a personal level, it’s an opportunity for me to look back on my accomplishments and, yes, my mistakes. Not so that I can beat myself up over not having achieved the very lofty goals I set for myself when I was very young, and certainly not to compare myself to someone else to see how I measure up on the “success” scale. Rather, it’s a chance to ask myself “what have I learned?” and “How do I apply that knowledge going forward?”

A birthday is the anniversary of something coming into physical manifestation; of a revealing to the world; a becoming visible.

I came into being approximately 9 months before I was “birthed”. After god created me, planted the seed, I was nurtured and incubated until my official unveiling to the world.

The birthing of a child is an example of what we are to do… plant a seed, nurture it, let it develop and then have it physically manifested in the world.

While this sounds very esoteric and magical, it’s actually a very practical physical law. Just ask your local farmer.

The goal of course, is to harvest what we have planted, evaluate the crop, and then replant for the future. I think I have worked very hard – much harder than necessary, really – over the last several years. I have allowed myself to be bogged down in the details.

I think I have spent a fair amount of time comparing my crop to Farmer John’s crop, when we haven’t even planted the same seed. I have spent valuable time and effort checking on the seed, and we all know that a seed won’t grow if you keep digging it up to check on it. And weeding and nurturing? Well, sometimes I think I’ve nurtured the weeds and allowed them to take over my garden.

But, I’m learning…

I wish I had known about reaping and sowing when I was just a kid. Instead, I thought it was referring to some sort of “karmic law” of punishment, instead of realizing it was actually a spiritual law of success.  Still, I think I’m making progress.

I believe there is still hope for a bountiful harvest in my future. After all, God said 

“I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”