Just One Good Thing

The Northern Lights

Many of you might already know the fable of the chicken and the pig.  It is used much in the corporate world and team building exercises. Dispel any previous exposure to it for a moment.  Let’s look at it differently.

Once Upon a Time... there was a chicken and a pig that lived on a farm. The farmer was very good to them and they both wanted to do something good for him.

One day the chicken approached the pig and said, "I have a great idea for something we can do for the farmer! Would you like to help?"

The pig, quite intrigued by this, said, "of course! What is it that you propose?"

The chicken knew that the farmer enjoyed a hearty breakfast and had little time to make one. 

"I think the farmer would be very happy if we made him breakfast,” said the chicken. 

The pig thought about this. While not as close to the farmer, he too knew of the farmer's love for a good breakfast. "I'd be happy to help but what do you suggest?"

The chicken suggested, "I could provide some eggs."

The pig knew the farmer might want more, "That's a fine start. What else should we make?"

The chicken looked around...scratched his head...then said, "ham? The farmer loves ham and eggs!"

The pig, very mindful of what this implied, said, "that's fine, but while you're making a contribution, I am the contribution.”

This is the basis of the fourth principle in The Art of Possibility, being a contribution. Unlike giving a contribution, being one requires a personal investment.  And unlike most things in life that have their two sides, being a contribution has no other side.  It stands alone. You are being a gift to others and jumping into your life, making a difference. Focus on seeing yourself and others as a contribution to move out of the world of measurement where scarcity, goals, competition, time exist. This is the intention of this principle.

Trying to focus on being a contribution, and staying positive, during tumultuous times is really difficult.  We all want to keep the energy around us pleasantly flowing and not allow negativity to infect our present moment.  That negativity usually comes from things outside our sphere of influence and manifests itself as fear and the loss of control and keeps us in the world of measurement. 

These are future moment thoughts and illusions that will infect our peace of mind.  We are all capable of finding ourselves in this position.  One late evening panic rose in me as I allowed upcoming uncertainly and events to enter my present moment. Knowing that my sister had faced similar crises, I phoned her. She helped me to organize my thoughts.  Her advice was so helpful to me that it continues to grow upon itself today.  She said, “Just do ONE good thing a day.”

The amazing thing about this is, when you start by ‘doing’ one good thing a day, you lighten the energy field around you. You shift the frequency in which you operate within.  Things start to change.  At first subtle, it grows. Things begin to come back to you in interesting, unexpected and unique ways.  Possibility opens up again. And, your focus changed.  Like the contagion of smiling, others around you do the same.

Thích Nhất Hạnh says, “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”  As such, the ‘doing’ becomes the source of your joy and other things bloom. The process nurtures you.  One thing builds into another and another until finally you discover that you are ‘being’ that one good thing a day.   You are being a contribution and nothing can feel any better.