The Process of Progress

Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don't have to like it... it's just easier if you do. - Byron Katie

For over a month and a half, the fig tree in my front yard has shown the promise of producing a rather prolific harvest. Every week I'd walk out to the yard, stand underneath and look for signs of ripening. Yet, with every viewing I'd see the same sized green spheres clinging to the vine - no ripening in sight. Why do I not see progress?

I stopped the randomly scheduled viewings. I stopped comparing the time frame that my tree in Alabama produced to this one in Georgia. I stopped thinking about it altogether.

Walking up my driveway this morning, I happened to turn and look at the tree and lo and behold, it was covered with beautiful ripened figs.

Byron Katie's quote above reminds us that everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late - everything. Nature consistently offers up its wisdom by teaching us to trust. It inherently understands the brilliance of the process. The wisdom within the fig tree knows.

The wisdom within us knows as well.

Life invites us all to relax into the process of progress.

As evolutionary beings, we are and will always be in the midst of our own natural growth spurt. In other words, we will eternally be in the midst of personal progress. But our trust in the process of our progress tempers the entire experience.

Journalist Paul Sweeney commented, "How can a society that exists on instant mashed potatoes, packaged cake mixes, frozen dinners and instant cameras teach patience to its young?" The world of "I want what I want when I want it" hardly ever works harmoniously with the schedule of Infinite Intelligence.

I recall innumerable times in life when certain ideas and plans that I'd bargained on, sweated over and efforted to make happen, didn't, only to breathe deep sighs of relief over how detours and delays worked together for my greater good.

Currently, I see myself involved and devoted to greater and greater arenas of passionate expression. I visualize enthusiastic, committed supporters for my school in Cambodia. I see channels of revenue opening up that I never conceived of. I see myself allowing surprise and expansive thinking for bringing about solution for Khmer Child Foundation and the ever-growing population of children deserving education.

I see this mentally AND, like so many of us, I tend to want that funding yesterday.

Admittedly, part of me is metaphorically walking up to my tree of expansion and not always seeing the results I yearn for. Yet, I am reminded that the right moment has already been created - our solution does exist and that harvest is inevitable.

I must remember Nature's wisdom. I've decided to use the visual of the fig tree to create a mindfulness practice. These weeks, as the tree continues to produce more and more fruit, I take it all in, breathe and whisper to myself, "Everything is unfolding perfectly."

The Universe encourages me to relax - let go of my timeline and open up to the Infinite's timeline. It's potent wisdom to pass on. Whatever we are involved in individually and collectively - it's unfolding right on time.