Hurry Up And Wait

Have you heard the adage “There is a time to sow and time to reap”? I never really get excited about Spring until April is well under way. That is when I really begin to notice the days getting longer, the temperature getting consistently warmer, and my energy levels getting more consistent. My mood also improves (imagine that, another blog idea!).

We’re excited to be putting in a vegetable garden this year. In our research we learned we had to start indoors and plant different seeds at different times, mainly in February and March. Obviously depending on the weather cycle, sometimes this feels way too early.

It is now April and the tomatoes and zucchini are off to a fast start. The basil is just starting to pop through the soil and the carrots, beets, and other root vegetables will be directly sown into the garden when the temperature permits. Interesting how different seeds need to be sown at different times.

This adventure particularly got me to thinking as I observed my wife. Like she was once again nursing a newborn child, she is meticulously involved in the process, providing water and chasing the sun around the house. She is fully invested in making this work!

One day, she remarked how she was concerned the red peppers had not sprouted at all. That is when I got the idea for this episode. She was confident the pepper experiment was a bust until I encouraged her to once again read the seed packet. Sure enough, it instructed the “gestation” period was longer than the other seeds we had planted. But she was not totally convinced until recently, when life peeked out from under the soil! This reenergized her faith in the process.

I am constantly referring to the laws of the Universe in my teaching and writing and this is a perfect example of the “Law of Gestation.” The law states there is a period of time that must elapse between when we sow and when we reap. Those seeds have a centuries old patterned blueprint. It is a genetic set of instructions that is followed down to the last detail. We cannot change when the seed will germinate or how the plant will turn out. We can only nurture and encourage the process. Once the seeds are in the ground, the plan goes into effect and everything needed for the seed to carry out the blueprint is attracted to it. And the seed only knows to transform to its full potential under the conditions it is provided.

Mark my words, the same happens with our lives. The Law of Gestation tells us we can only control what, when and how consistently we sow, not when we reap. We have to consistently sow, nurture, and encourage our lives. When we reap is not entirely up to us, that is why there are the concepts of faith, belief, and understanding. And because we have an intellect and the ability to think, our control lies in the sowing, the conscious conditions we create to make the soil (our minds, our thinking) of our lives fertile. We should not leave it to fate or outside circumstances or opinions.

We do that effectively through clearly defining our purpose and vision. Purpose is why we are here, how we truly love to spend our time and the gifts we have been given to be able to use that time to make our lives and the lives of others better. Vision is how we are going to execute our purpose, the plan. We then execute the plan with laser focus.

I have a great article on purpose, vision and goals. Just reach out to me if it is of interest to you. Like the plants in a garden, humans are meant to reach their full, God given potential.

Here are some questions to ponder this week:

What are your beliefs about life and in particular your current environment?

What are you predominantly thinking and consequently sowing?

Is it time to cultivate your soil and add the nutrients it needs?

Are you waiting to see before you believe? Or do you believe that what you “put your mind to” will eventually arrive in its physical form?

Once all the right ingredients are in place, once you are doing all you can to nurture the process, all that is left is to hurry up and wait.

Mark Sampson is a business owner, accountability mentor, and has over 25 years experience serving in the financial planning field. Turning 50 during Covid gave Mark the spark he needed to reboot life on his terms, and revisit the journey to happiness, health and wealth from a different perspective.