I have been quite ill recently- seems like I have spent most of my days and weeks in hospital and it seems like there is more to come. I felt quite despondent about this and following my heart seemed to be about having enough rest to get some strength to get back to more hospitals. Is this what a creative life is about, I wondered- Just trying to have just enough energy to do my daily chores? I looked at some of my colleagues and thought how wonderful it would if I had their good health, then only I could so much more. Then it came to me. I did not have to compare myself to others. If my day could be even one bit better than the previous day, I had succeeded. Life was about baby steps. The creative life is about taking baby steps towards your goals every day. Yes, every day has been a struggle but if in the morning, I could determine that one that day i could feel even one bit better and do one creative thing (whether that was in the kitchen or anywhere else), then I had won! As Daisaku Ikeda says,”It is not how you compare to others that is important, but rather how you compare to who you were yesterday. If you’ve advanced even one step, then you’ve achieved something great.”
I came across an inspirational video about Jadav Payeng. Singlehandedly, he has created a forest out of barren land with no money or help. He has been working since 1979, with no social media or press congratulating him on his achievements until recently when he was ‘found’ by chance. By planting one seed or sapling daily, he has created a forest bigger than Central Park in New York- a park which will prevent erosion and save wildlife. Learning to take baby steps towards our goals without external validation is the most important thing we can do each day.
A Value Creating Life 