"This is exactly what interconnectedness is all about!" 🦋

The Butterfly Effect | & A Beautiful Gift

#inspirational

#incollegetoday

This morning, I had given an appointment for a few students to meet with me at 10.20 am.

Amongst them was Ms. Jeffilda, who was there right on time, to discuss something connected with her research.

We were discussing the concept of interconnectedness, when, Ms. Naveen Priya, our vibrant Staff, delighted me with a surprise gift – a beautiful money plant, that she had bought in the Fair that was happening in College, today.

I liked it a lot, and it was such an ideal gift to adorn my desk.

I thanked ma’am profusely for the gift, and then turning to Jeffilda, I said –

You see, this beautiful money plant that ma’am has so thoughtfully gifted me, to adorn my office table, has a great value to it.

Now, you see, it’s sitting pretty on my table.

But then, suddenly I find out that, the table that houses the money plant vase, looks a bit dusty and cluttered.

So now I make use of this little table wipe to clean this table quick - spick and span.

Well, now, this table has become quite spick and span!

But wait! Now yet again, I find out to my little shock, that my personal computer that’s adorning my desk is not that clean, as well.

So now let me clean up this PC as well. 😊

Great! Now, my table and my PC are spick and span!

What about my side table and my chair? 

Oh okay. Let me clean them up as well.

Now, yes, my table, my personal computer, the side table, the chair have all become so clean and tidy now.

Only the curtain remains a bit cluttered. Let me rearrange it now.

Woww! Everything around me is so beautiful and so tidy!

Now, Jeffilda, who do you think made it possible?,

I ask Jeffilda.

Jeffilda replies, ‘Priya ma’am, sir’.

Yes, Jeffilda. See how such a small yet thoughtful gesture from ma'am, could bring about such a great transformation in us and our surroundings.

This is exactly what interconnectedness is all about!

Simply put, instead of cursing the darkness, let me light a candle!

That’s hence to the famous Edward Lorenz, mathematician and meteorologist, even a flap of a butterfly's wings might ultimately cause a tornado, which he famously called the ‘Butterfly Effect’.

The Butterfly Effect hence is about how one action or one event leads to another.

It could be a very small and highly innocuous event or an action that you do! But it is capable of bringing about a great change and transformation in your life, and in the lives of those around you.

Yes, sometimes small things can have a great impact!

That means to say that, we just quite can’t ignore the seemingly small things of life.

When I promise you something, I honour it!

It might seem a very trivial thing! Why should I keep my promise? After all, it’s not going to cause an earthquake or a world war!

So why should I bother about honouring my commitment?

On the other hand, if I were concerned about honouring a very significant promise that I made to my friend, it builds a positive energy, confidence, and mutual trust amongst us.

So where does change begin?

Change begins with me!

Today I promise myself that I shall read one good book for one full hour without allowing myself any distractions.

Then I so thoughtfully proceed to share the book that I’ve read with my teacher.

My teacher in turn happily shares it with his class.

Now the entire class undergoes a transformation.

There’s a great reading renaissance that I’ve set in motion, ain’t I?

Who pray, started it?

Me!

How?

I simply started reading a book, and then shared a review of the book with my teacher.

He in turn promptly shared it with my class.

And a transformation of epic proportions has begun!

The moral?

Quite simple: Change begins within me!

Once there’s a marked change in me, in my way of functioning, it makes an impact on others around me as well.

So yes! Instead of trying to change others, by commenting on others and their behaviour, let me try to change myself first!

Let me try and bring joy to the lives of others.

Let me try and bring happiness to the lives of others.

Let me change this one thing about me today.

I’m sure it’s gonna have a great ‘Butterfly effect’ on others around me!

Let me be the Butterfly!

Let me be the change!

Deal? 😊

And so with the Mahatma, let us chant –

Let me be the change that I wish to see in the world!