On Friday night, the 3rd July, I spent nearly an hour on the phone to my sister having a bit of a catch up – which was a really lovely way to spend an hour. I was sat outside the back door on my little bench in the sunshine with my drink and nattered away. During the conversation, something caught my eye.
There in front of me, crawling along the bright yellow hosepipe currently snaking along the ground, was a ladybird. So what you may ask?
Last year I grew a variety of chilli plants in the conservatory, and two of the varieties were smothered in greenfly. I bought some ladybirds online, and duly released them into the conservatory as pest control, which they did, and not only wonderfully controlled the greenfly, but also had a few hundred ladybird babies too! Towards the end of the year though, all the ladybirds flew the conservatory and off they went to hibernate for the winter.
This year, I have been gifted two chilli plants from my Dad, which are currently doing their best in the same conservatory – and yes, they have both been infested with greenfly.
Without thinking much, I picked up the Ladybird and deposited her (why are ladybirds always female?!) upon one of the chilli plants. I think I had half a thought that it’d have been nice to know if it were one of “My” babies from last year! Off I went to bed that night, leaving the dog and the ladybird in the conservatory.
Upon inspection the next morning, my Ladybird had dissappeared. That’s ok though – there were far less greenfly on the plants than there were – so I felt Ms Ladybird had had a really good meal and then gone to sleep it off somewhere.
After a closer look at my chilli plant though – she left me a present! Ladybird eggs! A little cluster of orange, oval eggs stuck to the underside of one of the leaves, so in a few short weeks I’ll have lots of little wierd minature lizardy looking insects devouring the rest of the greenfly colony currently feasting on my plants!
So often, the Universe can answer our needs or questions, even if we aren’t consciously aware of asking for what we need – it’s just provided for us.
Whilst on a course in Leicester last year, we were sat in a coffee shop with one of the other students – Roger. He was talking about how he met the tutor on the course. And how much of a coincidence it was, that it happened at the time it did, and that funnily enough, Roger had just been on holiday to the town the tutor came from (in Canada), but they only met when Roger landed back home in Leicester!
OK, so coincidence? Maybe – but are these coincidences just too perfect to be, actually coincidences?
Like those time where we may feel a bit down, and a chance conversation with someone, whether at work, whilst walking the dog, out at the shops, can really lift us out from the depths of where we were. And the times when something completely unexpected just happens that just comes along at the perfect time.
Imagine, what would be there if were were more fully aware of that which surrounds us?
In December 2008, my partner and I did a type of Personal Development course. To the end of this course, one of the tasks we did was to practise this awareness. We were told to have a question in mind, on which you would like guidance – and go out for a walk. Because we were out in the countryside, that’s what was surrounding us. However, you can do this anywhere.
As you go out of your door – have the question in mind. Take a small pad with you to jot things down on as you notice them, because believe me, remembering them all by the time you get back will be near enough impossible! And I mean take notice of EVERYTHING! From sunshine patterns and shadows, to cloud formations, weather, people, half overhead conversations as you pass people, animals, flowers – notices in shop windows, even my favourite of all – Car Registration Numbers!
Don’t MAKE things ‘fit’ your question, just hold that question in your mind, and let things just happen across your thoughts as you see them.
I had an amazing revelation through this walk – as did everyone there. One guy came back and he’d written a poem – probably the first poem he’d ever written!
The universe does answer us, even when we don’t know we’ve asked a question, or stated a need. Imagine how many more ways the universe is looking after us if we were fully aware of all that which is around us!
If you don’t have a question in mind – simply do what I did, and say “What would you like me to know today?”
I realise that there are people out there with slightly different beliefs to me. I don’t know who or what is out there orchestrating this universe, so I refer to it as – the universe. Call it what you will, whatever fits best with you and your beliefs “Life, the Universe, God and Everything” – the main point of the exercise is to practise the awareness, and realise that who or whatever you believe has got the conductors baton for this life we are experiencing – does provide you with all that you truly need. Being more aware of it, means we can be thoroughly grateful for it.
Happy walking, and if you wish – let me know what your experience was.