The Small Is Beautiful Manifesto

18 October, 2007

Sublte Changes, Big Impact

In a conversation last night with my gal pal, we uncovered a pretty neat insight into ourselves. For the past 5 or so years, ironically the time we both became mothers, we have started to embrace a movement. The movement being one of more earth conscious nurturing on mind, body and soul. We hear it and see it everywhere today, green, local, organic, spirit, peace, new age etc. When you distill this movement you see a common thread of nurturing as the catalyst for this change.

The world is crying out like a baby, to be nurtured. Mother Earth needs some tending to. She is requiring us to be mindful and to walk softly. How does one do this? Well it starts out with being mindful internally. How do you choose to feed yourself? How do you choose to make consumer purchases? What ingredients do you support in your purchases? Is there sustainability in the product? How will this product affect humans, the earth, the way in which business is conducted? What are the issues you read up on? How do you teach your children? What ideals, values, morals, do you hold yourself to?

Of course these ideas first start in theory, small conversations, large philosophical discussions amongst family and friends. There comes a time when the words need to translate into action for it to materialize. If your actions don't reflect the grand idea, then you are simply posturing and not really making a difference.

My gal pal and I find ourselves living the word, making choices differently in order to feel a greater connection to the source of all. In order to make these choices, we challenge our thoughts, our decision making, our purchase power, our nutritional impact, our relationships, ourselves to be the best we can in tune with natural rhythms. We are not perfect in our attempts and it is hard to completely live in current society with these ideals, however we strive to make new changes everyday and learn more about the changes that need to be made.

Have we changed in the process? Certainly to some extent the manner in which we do things is different and the types of choices we make are more informed. However, the driving spirit is deep within and most likely has always been there. In fact, the connection to the source is always there in each and every one of us. The challenge is to actively seek this connection and make it a daily relationship. How many of us can honestly say this connection exists?

In our "late" night discussion, we found ourselves morphed. It would appear thusly. Five years ago, we looked the same with a purplish aura around us, or pick whatever color. Now we appear to look the same, however we have a completely different aura surrounding us. How many would notice the difference truly? Those close to us may slough it off as in we are being snobby, picky, uptight, rigid etc. Words we have both heard when trying to uphold our value system.

What really seems to be happening is that our honest, real time, relationship to the source challenges others to review their own relationship to the source. Most people may not even recognize this has transpired, however, the feelings of discourse are real and they may lash out at us in sloughing it off with their attempts to laugh or say "well that is how you do it", or "you are a little extreme", "you know I love you for that" or etc. etc..

The fun amazing epiphany we shared last night was the realization that we morphed into a really neat person that we both admire. We stand for nurturing the whole person and being kind to Mother Earth. We strive to make better choices and we are committed to a long journey of eduction. We will morph again and again with each phase bringing us closer to the source. Our relationship with the source sustains us and drives us further. It is really amazing to not just live the ideals once a week, or when it suits us, but to put that conviction to the test and do it everyday. It weighs heavy on our brain, certainly, but it is there and that is better than not recognizing it at all.

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