Ripple Effect

Ah... sunshine, warm breezes, t-shirts and open windows. It's happening. Can you feel it? Spring is a time to put out the trash so to speak and welcome in the new. It's ironic that we make resolutions and set intentions in January when most of us just want to hibernate. Our energy usually isn't about creating anything new, but just surviving. Spring is often the time of new relationships, the whole love is in the air effect. And sometimes spring is the end of old ones as we feel that energy to get rid of what's not working. A spring clean.

I was sitting outside this past week on a Thursday afternoon. This is a busy day for me, as I teach 4 classes. I get a break in the middle of the day and while I used to drive back home to the studio after my noon class for lunch, I often hang around. A friend treated me to lunch, a nice surprise, and then I took a drive looking for a park. I ended up parking in Dedham town center and walking along the river. I found a somewhat quiet spot - quiet enough. It was just me there. I closed my eyes, took in the sunshine for a bit, listened to chatter of kids nearby walking home from school, birds chirping. I decided to throw some rocks into the water, and began to watch the ripples move in the water. It was interesting to see how the rock made a splash upon impact in the water but it was the ripple that continued on indefinitely - until I couldn't tell if it was there or not anymore as much as I tried to follow it with my eyes. And nature once again became my teacher.

Our thoughts and actions are like that initial stone. We simply think a thought, maybe speak a thought, and it has an effect on our energy, those we come in contact with. The same goes for our actions. This ripple carries on indefinitely, so that our initial thought or action is affecting dozens, hundreds, thousands... we have no idea if there is a limit or where it would be. Imagine if you made this a positive thought or action. Imagine if it was a negative thought or action. It's very easy to get caught up in our own lives, our own drama, our own bubbles and not consider this ripple effect. All you need to do is drop a stone into the water to be reminded of how powerful and influential a being you are.