Some years ago I started seeds in my basement. There were all sorts of plants, dianthus (a sort of carnation), lavender, zinnias, marigolds, and sunflowers. They all did fine, but I noticed that the sunflowers, as they grew, started to flop over. So I would turn them every once in a while and they would flop the other way. It got to the point where they were twisted among each other and I thought there was no way they were going to be straight. I took these crooked, fragile, tangled plants outside and planted them in my garden. I wasn’t sure they would ever stand up straight. But I planted them anyway hoping something good would happen to them. They eventually got the strength they needed to straighten up. Their lower stems might of been a little bent, but they were resilient and came back to life beautifully.

The reason my little sunflower plants were so floppy was because each and every day sunflowers need to follow the light of the sun in order to be strong and upright. They continue to do so all the way up until they bloom. Each bud on a sunflower follows the light until it opens into something that looks like the sun.

None of my other plants needed this so much. Even after the light that I put over them and the window they were set by, they needed the strength following the sun gave them.

We are no different. When we choose ignore our light, we become discouraged and lost. We loose who we are and our path is obscured. Life becomes frustrating, laborious, even shameful.

I have for a long time thought that my being busy made me who I am. I thought that the more I did, the better I was, and the more value I had. Nothing was more important to me than checking off something on my to do list. Yet I was absolutely lost. I had bought into a lie. I was not connecting and I felt empty, exhausted, and isolated. I could not hear because I was doing so many things I thought were important, but were really ways to avoid and deny myself of truly living with purpose and direction.

I have since then decided to let go of the should's. I no longer feel the need to prove my worth with doing more. I am listening. And it feels really good. I am excited for each day and what my heart tells me is the most important thing for that day. I get to dream again what is important and unique to me. There is nothing more fulfilling to me than following my heart and knowing with absolute certainty that what I am doing is the right thing, the thing I was meant to do. That I am living my purpose I was put on earth to do. I get up each day and can’t wait for the miracles to start. Because listening to your heart and then doing it is an absolute miracle.

Following the light that is in us, keeps us strong, fearless, immovable. We once again have conviction, light, and courage to do what our heart is telling us. When we follow our light, we don’t have to apologize. We just are following what our conscience tells us to do each and every day. And the miracle of blossoming comes. We then become a light to everyone around us. People recognize it and want to be around this goodness.

My conviction is that each person on this earth has a purpose to live and fulfill. As we listen, we will know what our heart desires. Then the miracle comes as we do it. Every day. Each moment. Look, and know the light is there to guide you to your best and truest self. As you do, amazing things will start to happen that you had no idea were even possible. Others will recognize the change in you and will also transform if they choose. Following our own heart is an opportunity, an invitation to each day be ourselves, that we may live the best life we were meant to live.