Scatter Lovingly
WORD FOR THE DAY 7/28/24
It is not what you gather in life, but what you scatter in life, that tells the kind of life you have lived.
-Helen Walton-
Over the many years that I have been receiving Grateful Living’s “Word for the Day” quotes in my email, I often nod my head in agreement or marvel at how much a certain quote resonates for me on a certain day. Life is like that. The Universe and email inboxes deliver what we need. I often miss deliveries, or will wait too long to open the package of now and reveal the gifts of today. Yet, practice makes progress, in the form of more presence, possible.
In the time of early human existence, hunting and gathering was how people survived. It was how they got their daily sustenance, if it was a good day. We still gather groceries for our refrigerators and tables, and convenient supplies like soap, paper towels, and cleaners to care for our homes, but survival looks a lot different than it used to.
In our advanced civilization, we hunt and gather the latest tech gadgets and vehicles and fashions. But do they sustain us? If we spend all of our time focused on making more money so we can gather more stuff, are we really living? Arguably, not well. What fruits and riches did we rush right past in our materialistic pursuits? Did we smile at our neighbor as we passed on the trail? Did we hold the door for the parent managing their baby’s stroller and diaper bag? Did we drive reasonably and rationally on the roads we share with others who also want to reach their destinations safely and on time?
Scatter hope, generosity, more smiles, sincere thank yous, joy, your unique self. Scatter pauses and deep breaths that bring you fully present, or that take the edge off anger and a sharp tongue.
Scatter lovingly, so others can gather in that love and know they matter. Then we can truly know in our vast human hearts what matters most costs us nothing other than a moment of our time. And because we live in the world we do, with conveniences and mobility, we have time to hunt for more connections and scatter more love.
We can’t take our houses and boats and vacations with us. But love, a sense of belonging, and the good energy they create, can be our constant companions. And when these are our travel companions, the world, and our daily lives, are wonderful places to visit and experience.
