Hard work or grace?

I'm a plant-lover. I get incredible joy from seeing the deep, rich greens of my house plants when they're thriving, and I love watching them for signs of being too dry, too wet, or in too much sun. I make subtle changes to their environment so they can delight in just what they need to grow luscious and bloom. 

Time takes on a new dimension with plants. For example, when we lived in Kenya, we had a meager, nearly see-through privacy hedge. When people drove by on the road, billows of dust would fly through the hedge into our garden. Little by little, we planted a second layer of smaller hedges in front, did some massive pruning off the top, and wove branches in and out. (And by "we", I mean the expert gardeners we hired.) Imperceptibly, and over several years, the hedge filled in and became a verdant source of pleasure and beauty.

Was this change because of the hard labor, or because of grace? I say both.

We all see things about ourselves, our relationships, and our world that we want to change. These desires lead us to do our inner work toward some external goal. Sometimes, without any big announcement, we wake up to find that change has happened, seemingly without us. It feels like a miracle, when we suddenly notice that our self-compassion is intact, that we're waking up in a peaceful state, that we're doing housework effortlessly with our partner. Was it hard work, or did the way of grace step in?

Nature seems to have infinite patience. It stays with a thing through all the seasons of life. Our human efforts do make a difference in the movement toward change. And they're still just one part of the real support that is constantly provided. Being with a coach can feel miraculous. Sometimes I feel like the biggest part of my job is just noticing and appreciating pre-existing goodness.

When you see an orchid flowering, see a relationship shifting, notice your heart softening - know that the movement toward goodness is what's meant to be happening. We are constantly being breathed, being created, being renewed. 

Sometimes, when your attention is being drawn away by all the things that need doing, you'll find that the nature of things has supported you in growing into your beautiful, authentic, wild, and wonderful self.