Out My Window: Nature Shifts

It snowed last night, and the way the flakes are still hanging on the branches of the non-budded trees makes it look almost magical outside.  The visual of the outdoors is mimicking the sound of the outdoors—peaceful, quiet, calm.  The only movement is a tiny bird visiting our bird feeder.  I wonder if she (or he—I don’t want to be sexist) even knows all the change that has happened in the world?  I imagine this is pretty much her regular morning routine—especially after spring snow.  

It’s sort of hard to imagine having a regular routine anymore, but there it is—happening in my backyard. Birds are visiting feeders, squirrels running across branches, causing chunks of snow to fall softly to the ground.  And with the snow shedding light on paw prints, I can even see the path the dog took for her early morning yard run.  The world hasn’t completely stopped moving just because we have slowed our pace a bit.  In fact, at least from my view this morning, the world seems to be running at a nice, steady pace. 

Nature shifts when it needs to shift.  Tree limbs bend under the weight of unexpected snow but rarely break. Animals find food when their normal sources are scarce.  Even domesticated animals seem to quickly adapt when they run out the door and discover a new surface at their feet. They don’t second guess the shift, they just shift.  They move where they need to move and do what needs to be done—having faith that everything will work out for the best. 

For all the planning we do to make sure our lives and businesses run as smoothly as possible, we don’t spend much time preparing for the shift.  We think we do—we create emergency plans, we hold meetings to talk about possible changes in the market, we consider downsizing or exit strategies.  But when our circumstances change—especially when they change abruptly—how quickly do we adapt to the new normal?  Do we spend too much time trying to change our circumstances instead of living into them?

As I finish this up, the temperature is slowly rising, and I can see the snow beginning to melt.  I’m sure the birds and squirrels are unaware of this coming change—they don’t have 24-hour news feeds or a Weather Station app.  They will continue to go about the tasks of the day, staying focused on what they need to make happen instead of being focused on what’s happening to them. 

We should all be so lucky to walk through life with this mindset.  

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