“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on” Robert Frost – American Poet
For us to live an inspired harmonious life, we have to fan into flame the life-principle inherent in us. The creator put a life-principle in each living thing in this world, whether it be plants, insects, animals or human beings, with the characteristic of increasing or adapting to thrive in a particular environment. I see the law of harmony in operation through the life-principle. Basil King best described the life-principle in his book The Conquest of Fear “…Whatever the Fount of Being from which the life-principle first came into the waters of our earth there is no question but that with it came a conquest principle as well… Long before it works up to man we see this amazing force stemming an uncountable number of attacks, and meeting ruinous conditions with daring contrivances. For one kind of danger it develops a shell, for another a sting, for another a poison, for another a protective colouration. To breathe in the sea it puts forth gills, and makes lungs for itself when stranded on the land. In glacial cold it finds the means of growing fur; when heat and cold assail it by turns it packs itself with feathers; when climates become temperate it produces hair. For the creature which keeps to the water it webs the foot; for that which takes to the trees it makes the toes prehensile; for the one which learns to stand erect and run along the ground it flattens the sole, making it steady and supporting. To resist, to survive, to win through, is the end to which the life-principle sets itself with such singleness of aim as to unfold a wealth of potentiality astounding to us in looking backward.”
We can thrive through the life-principle inherent in us as long as we cooperate with it and trust the Creator who fashioned it. I recall a story I read of the cracked pot that I think best illustrates this point. A water bearer would go back and forth from a stream carrying two pots containing water on either side of a pole that he balanced on his shoulders. One of the pots had a crack on the side while the other was perfect. On each trip from the stream, the perfect pot delivered the full amount of water while the cracked pot only delivered half of the amount the water bearer had fetched.
After two years of what seemed like an eternity to the cracked pot, it had enough of the disappointment. It spoke to the water bearer while they were at the stream. It said, “I am so ashamed, and would like to apologize to you.” “Why” asked the Water Bearer. The cracked pot said “for all these years I have only delivered half the amount of water you fetch.The crack on my side leaks water all the way to the house. You do not get a full return for your efforts. I am so disappointed and ashamed.”
The Water Bearer was filled with compassion for the cracked pot, he told the pot “ on our way home, look at the beautiful flowers on your side of the path.” Indeed, as they went home all the way from the stream, up the hill to the house, the path was full of beautiful, blossoming flowers. When they got home, the cracked pot was still ashamed. It had only delivered half the amount of water fetched as usual. The Water Bearer asked the cracked pot “did you see the flowers on our way home?” “Yes I did” said the cracked pot. “Did you notice that there are only flowers on your side of the path? You see, I was aware of the crack and I planted flowers all along the way on your side of the path. You have been watering these flowers for all these years. I have all these beautiful flowers that I use to decorate my master’s table. Without your help, without you being just the way you are, there would be no flowers to grace my master each day.”
The reality is no human being is perfect. We all have strengths and weaknesses. However, we should embrace all that is the life-principle that the Creator has put in us. All our qualities, both the strengths and weaknesses serve a good purpose if we are to look at them critically. We will live inspired harmonious lives if we are willing to embrace all that life brings our way. To learn and become the best version of ourselves.
“If you are green, you are growing; if you are ripe, you are rotting!” Ray Kroc
Do you see yourself as being green, still allowing the life-principle to flourish in you? Or have you arrived, are you ripe?
The rallying call of the Almighty Creator in the book of Genesis in the Bible is for human beings to be fruitful and multiply. To fill the earth and govern it. I believe this call is both to multiply biologically and also to multiply in the creative aspects of human life; in our day to day activities to enrich the human experience. Man has indeed been fruitful in multiplying biologically and in the advancement in the things he has created to the present day.
In one of his Psalms, King David says “…the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the LORD’S own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The LORD is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”
The life-principle inherent in each one of us is such that when we allow it to flourish, we live to the full potential life has in store for us. Our lives become inspired and harmonious.
