Embracing Change and Growth
Destruction. What’s popping, people? It’s Dante. Check it out: dead trees.
When winter comes, the climate becomes chaotic—lots of rain, random windy days, and then suddenly, a sunny, beautiful day. Yesterday, I didn’t even need a big coat. Change is interesting. Every single day is different. Every fleeting moment is different. And every moment, we’re evolving and changing.
I think it’s important to recognize this Flux of Life. When I see the changing seasons, the way trees shed their leaves and regrow, it reminds me of humanity. On a biological level, we’re not so different. We evolve through cycles of death, growth, and rebirth.
The Body as Nature
I like to think of the body as a battery and the sun as a charger.
What fuels me with energy and vitality is:
- Exposure to sunlight and UV radiation
- Eating fatty red meat packed with nutrients
- Drinking clean water
Every morning, I turn on the faucet and drink a cup of water. It’s a privilege that I don’t take lightly. These nutrients flow through my bloodstream, and when I look at the trees, I realize we, too, undergo a kind of photosynthesis.
“The branches of trees, reaching for sunlight, echo the design of our lungs. The veins of a leaf resemble the veins in our bodies.”
When I pick up a leaf and see its intricate patterns, it mirrors how water and nutrients flow through my veins. It’s fascinating to think how interconnected we are with nature.
Lessons from the Horticulture Center
Spending time in horticulture has taught me to appreciate these cycles. One of my favorite things to do is propagate overgrown plants, giving them new life in a fresh location. It’s magical to watch the seasons change and witness this rebirth.
“Maybe there’s something spiritual about nature—a kind of miracle in the way the universe operates.”
This connection with nature isn’t just physical. On an internal level, aligning with nature can lead to purification and growth. Even though we are imperfect creatures, bound by gravity and mortality, striving for perfection is a worthy goal.
Modernity’s Distractions
Today’s world bombards us with distractions:
- Social media and celebrity gossip
- Advertisements telling us how to live
- News filled with drama
These distractions stray us from striving for the ideal, for becoming better versions of ourselves. Embracing too much of modern technology leads to imbalance.
“The more you consume, the less you become. The more you subtract and purify, the more you grow.”
I believe life is a stream of becoming—a constant evolution. But complacency with mediocrity or societal norms is worth questioning. Why settle for less when there’s so much more?
Division vs. Unity
“We divide ourselves more than we come together, which is a strange realization when we’re literally on a giant rock floating in a void of space.”
Whether it’s through race, religion, or political ideologies, we create barriers between each other. My travels have taught me how similar we all are. I’ve seen division firsthand—from physical walls in the West Bank to ideological walls in our everyday lives.
Violence and division are universal, but they distract us from the truth that we all stem from the same place. We share this Earth, this life, this humanity.
Through Fire, We Rise
Suffering, pain, and grief are universal, but they’re also essential. To grow, we must go through the fire. Like dead leaves pruned from a tree, we shed what no longer serves us and emerge stronger.
“Maybe the ultimate aim in life is to grow through suffering and pain—to strive upwards despite the strife.”
Whether I’m pruning palm trees or contemplating sculptures of heroes like Hercules and Achilles, the message is the same: transformation comes through challenges. We’re bound by gravity, but we can strive to rise, to purify, and to create something new.
Final Thoughts
Maybe this modern world distracts us and separates us, but I believe these distractions are like spiritual warfare. To fend them off, we must stay laser-focused on becoming better versions of ourselves.
“Sometimes, you have to destroy yourself to create anew. Embrace the chaos, then put order to it.”
Time to catch the sunrise and let that light fuel me for another day.