Have you ever heard of the butterfly effect? Something along these lines: that an independent random event can cause an effect on an entirely unrelated event. Another way it is described is “the propensity of a system to be sensitive to initial conditions”. The concept was first proposed by Edward Lorenz, and has become a big part of the way that weather is predicted. It has also become a topic of debate about the randomness of cause and effect in the natural world.

“A new conception was being made… that whatever fundamental units the world is put together from, they are more delicate, more fugitive, more startling than we catch in the butterfly net of our senses”

Jacob Bronowski “The Ascent of Man”

Well, I’m no weatherman, nor do I spend a lot of time in theoretical discussions about, or the philosophy of, cause and effect. I do, however, truly believe that there is an immense power in how our actions influence events that seemingly have nothing to do with that action. In fact, I believe it is so frequent, so consistent, that it virtually shapes the way society functions.

I also believe this is a large part of what is revealed to us in Awakening. The heightened sensory acuity, the ability to look at ourselves honestly… to confront who we are and what we want. To become aware of just how unaware we are… up until now. This is when we begin to understand just how large an impact our presence here on this planet really has. And everything that comes with that understanding… our own cause and effect if you will.

A short story:

Two women, old friends, happen to run into each other in the market. They spend a little time getting caught up… how things are going in their respective lives, what the kids are doing… typical day-to-day stuff. One of the women shares that her youngest son had recently had a remarkable experience. It seems that Tom had a job that he loved, he had just purchased a small condominium, and life, which had been difficult, was finally going well for him. But there was this problem. Tom worked in a construction company as an apprentice, and he was failing his final exam in apprentice school and might lose his job.

She then told what happened next: the company Tom worked for brought him into the office, along with another senior apprentice who had already passed the same exam, and paid both their wages while the more experienced young man tutored and coached Tom through the material. Tom went on to pass his final with flying colors and advance to the next level of the apprenticeship program. As Tom’s mother was sharing this story, she remarked how rare it is in today’s world that a business will reach out in that way, and how appreciative she felt to those who made a difference in Tom’s life.

Eventually the two women parted ways. The other woman, the friend of Tom’s mother sat down later that evening and wrote a letter to her own son. In the letter, she told her son how proud she was of him, and how grateful she was that he owned a company who’s culture was such that they would do something like that for Tom. Her son, in turn, passed along his appreciation to his employees who chose to make a difference.

And that is how it happened. I know this because, you see… Tom is on my team, and works for the same company as I do. The same company whose owner received the letter from his mother… the same company whose leadership not only sent me to Awakening November 12th, 2004, but has also sent more than two-dozen after me.

I am grateful for a lot of things; not least of which is working in a company where so many have experienced Awakening. I am also becoming more aware each day how my actions influence the world around me… what I put in motion, what the ramifications are of my actions and decisions.

So I ask you this: Consider, as you go through each day, what type of footprints you leave behind on the world… the power of your own Butterfly Effect!