Butterflies Are People Too

"The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough." ~Rabindranath Tagore

A couple of years ago, I was helping my wife Laura with an event at our church. It was a women's event and she along with a friend were helping with childcare. As you know very well, when taking care of children, it is best to fill that time with activities. So my job was to help create one of the planned activities to "paint butterflies."

As you can guess, my days leading up to the event were filled by making large foot and a half wide paper mache butterflies. It was an undertaking that did not seem quite so involved when I first agreed to help. Quite a job it turned into but it was also an enjoyable distraction from work. I even took a small amount of 'ribbing' from a few friends. As one friend mockingly said, "butterflies are people too!"

All of this activity and the ribbing made me think about how we ponder our lives. No, this is not a discussion regarding the metaphor of "turning ourselves from the plain caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly." This discussion speaks to what Dr. Carl Sagan had written which said "we are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think its forever." We can debate Sagan's life and beliefs but that is not my intent.

What I would like to discuss are those small moments in time by which we feel or experience the feeling that life goes on forever. In some small way, maybe this is how we encourage ourselves to go forward with new things.

In reality, all of us know that life here on earth will end at some point in time. We do not know when that time will come and I firmly believe that is for the best. If we could choose a date, would you be apt to say "what is the use in trying, I'm only here until....?"

We each need to think and feel that time as being endless and strive to do more then the day before. Even if we realize it could end at any moment, we should try to expand ourselves and grow more in the knowledge of what life has to offer. We should live in such a way as to bring something better to the world around us.

Like the butterfly which lives only a short amount of time, it still has the ability to brighten a child's eye. The butterfly can also brighten your life. Brighten someone's day, brighten your day and remember, "butterflies are people too!"

Stay inspired my friends.

The Crossroads Building

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward." - Amelia Earhart

A group of people are assembled in a building near a crossroads. A non-descript path leads up to the door. Obviously used by those assembled inside and from the looks of things they have been using the path for quite some time.

If you were to pass directly through this structure, you would be standing directly in the middle of the crossroads. Gleaming ribbons of road going off into several directions.

The shelter seems pretty nice from the outside. Some would say it looks quite elegant albeit in need of a new coat of paint. Its appearance gives one the feeling of comfort and safety.

As you enter, you find a vast assortment of chairs that have the look of constant use. Artificial plants dot the room and the windows have a particular film of dirt covering them. So much that the outside landscape is blurred to a point of being unrecognizable.

Old and outdated magazines lay scattered around the tables which themselves are old and outdated. The room is lit by fluorescent fixtures which gives the room a cold feeling. This glow lights the walls which seem to have a floral or other odd pattern design.

You move closer and discover the walls are adorned with various pictures. Pictures of dreams once dreamed, visions once envisioned and of hopes left scattered. All of these placed here by those gathered in the room. Placed on these walls once given up. Left on the walls in order to fade and be lost among others.

As more people enter through the door of the old path, the far side of the room has a single large oak door. Not particularly ornate but enough to catch your eye. Above the door a sign which reads;

"Choose To Live Life - Choose Now"

Once a day the people enter this room, they sit around reading the old magazines, talking in quiet tones of what could have been. Others move about the walls looking for their lost dreams. Some have entered the building for the first time with dreams and visions in hand. All are waiting for the appointed time.

Then it happens, the large oak door opens and a person enters. A very handsome and well dressed person, almost seeming to float in an easy stride, unencumbered draws the attention of all that are present. A brilliant glow shines through. All can see the wondrous landscape which lies beyond the open door.

In an easy and comforting tone, the person asks all assembled, "The door is open for you to step through. Once outside, choose a path and let life unfold before you."

Nothing more, no other enticements, just the promise that their lives will be different. A couple of people run forward with glee and expectation, through the open door. Carrying with them all that they want. Others hesitate and mumble to others around them. Unsure of what to do, they talk of what might happen or not happen by going through the door.

All know that to pass through that door means they can never return back through it. This old building, the old path back to their old lives isn't so bad. So they stand around telling themselves that the 'time' is not right.

For five minutes the door remains open. Not a long time to make a decision one might say. But all of these people have been spending their whole life trying to decide. They came this far, they've entered this building by the crossroads and the door is open.

Alas, the door closes and the cold light of the room returns. Everyone is required to then place their dreams and visions on the wall before leaving. Left there to be reclaimed tomorrow or forgotten by indecision. As they leave down the old trodden path they can hear faint shouts of happiness.

The noise comes from those that have passed through the oak door. Those people are happy to be on an adventure down a new path. Happy with whatever comes their way. Through the door, looked at all the choices life has to offer and picked one.

Life is full of choices for us to pick from. But you have to take that opportunity with your dreams and visions in your pocket. Which choice are you going to take? To leave your hopes upon the wall, walking back down the same old path you've been over so many times.

Or will you decide upon change, to step through that door. Its a simple question, choose to change or choose not to change. Choose change, choose now, you won't regret it. To chase your dreams, you will catch them.

You can read more of the above Changed Lives.

Stay inspired my friends.

Windmills of Impact

With the lack of any measurable breeze today, I thought I would resurrect an older post about wind and the "The Windmill Effect" written way back in September of 2005.

"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible."” -Arthur C. Clarke

Going beyond expectations becomes a given when you use a positive attitude to effect others. Think of the windmill sitting on its own turning and turning, generating electricity for others. It could be a very efficient windmill or a poorly designed windmill. Day after day it is doing its job, but never really impacting those around it.

But take the wind, spreading its power across several windmills. Causing each of them to move, turning the power of the wind into a collective output. Yes the wind can be great one day and less the other, but it does impact all it touches.

You can be like the wind effecting many. One day you may be in a poor frame of mind and the wind is less. But on the days when you bring your thoughts and positive ideas to the table, you impact many more. Impact others and see the electricity that gets generated. See the greatness in your efforts.

Stay inspired my friends!

Check out Love Is and my other books to help you stay inspired.

Where You Work

"Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them." -W. Clement Stone

Have you ever walked into a workplace (private or governmental) and told yourself thank goodness you don't work there. The environment is dingy and just not very pleasing for a number of different reasons. Locally in the county where I live, we had one such place. Not too many years ago, the local Department of Motor Vehicles licensing office was one such place.

Miserable conditions does not begin to describe this office. It was a ramshackle place that even the greyish-blue painted walls could mask. Dirty and broken tiles upon the floor, buzzing fluorescent lights and crowded conditions made visitng the location difficult at best.

Can you imagine working in such conditions day in and day out? Any level of customer service provided by the employees was certainly a reflection of their work environment. Many would try but one could see how difficult it was.

Eventually a new DMV location was built and a huge transformation not only in atmosphere but in the spirit of the employees had taken place. Things ran smoother, much quicker and with less tension. People will tend to joke about efficiency when it comes to governmental services. But do not forget these people are just like you and me, they are trying and have to deal with their work environment. Think about how well you might perform in a similarly poor work environment.

A pleasant and well designed work location will be reflected by your employees. This means more efficiency through out the workplace. The efficiency gains translate into a more stable work force. Efficiency gains translate into a more satisfied customer. For the business, these efficiency gains translate into dollars.

Think about where you work and what the environment is like. Are you regulated about having a plant on your desk or such poor lighting that you could not keep a plant alive? If the environment is tiring and displeasing, a change needs to occur. As an employer you need to recognize it. As an employee you need to make sure your employer knows it. Because once again it comes back to the dollars.

The Whole Building Design Guide discusses the costs and potential payback. Additionally, they outline five principles of productive building designs that I'm quoting from this article;

• Promote Health and Well-Being

Indoor environments strongly affect human health. An effective environment should be designed to support and enhance the health and well-being of its occupants. Sustainable design principles help achieve this objective.

• Provide Comfortable Environments

An environment designed and operated to provide the highest achievable levels of visual, acoustic, and thermal comforts for its occupants is the underpinning of worker effectiveness.

• Design for the Changing Workplace

Providing spaces with flexibility, social support, and technology to promote new ways of working, learning and engaging in a number of activities is a cornerstone of change and innovation.

• Integrate Technological Tools

Effectively integrating technological tools and distribution networks required in today's environments to enable occupants to perform activities or their duties starts first and foremost with properly designed pathways and spaces.

• Assure Reliable Systems and Spaces

Reliability is one of the greatest concerns for building occupants—it directly affects their safety, health, and comfort. Occupants must be able to rely on building systems, equipment, and tools that function consistently and are properly maintained

Whether you own a business, manage one or the work space is merely a home office, take some steps. Make some changes to improve the environment around you. Shake up the atmosphere and see what happens. Sitting doing "nothing" will of course achieve "nothing." Make those changes and see how much it can lift your work, your spirit, your life.

Stay inspired my friends.