I am working on a book that I may call The 7 Universal Laws of Community. One of the 7 laws is called The Law of Environment. This law has three governing principles:1) We create our own environment. As human beings we were given the power and dominion over all creatures of the earth. 2) Our environment influences us. 3) We have the power to change environment.
I grew up in a small town where opportunities for growth were very limited. I watched my parents working hard all their lives to create a better environment and future for their children. My parents had a great vision for what they wanted to accomplish in life. Their home was different than other homes in that small village. My father told me he had find a builder from a different village far from where they lived to come build the house for him.
My father had lost his father at a young age. He had to learn many things on his own. He did not let the difficult circumstances of his life stop him from achieving his dream. He sought the advice of older and wise men. He used them as mentors. Wallace D. Wattles writes, “Do not wait for a change of environment before you act. Cause a change of environment through action. You can act upon your present environment so as to cause yourself to be transferred to a better environment.”
I remember as a young child. It was time for me to go to the city to go to school because the small village where I lived did not have any preparatory schools. I was not excited about leaving my parents. My father told me, “Son you must go to school.” He told me that I needed to go to school so I could gain an education and create a better future for myself and my family. I listened to him. I did not have a choice either as an infant. I am glad that my parents had a greater vision for me. As a child my vision was limited to the environment I was living in. This is the role that a wise mentor can play in our lives and our personal growth. They can help us see farther than we can see on our own.
I could not have been able to help create the current environment I am in if it were not for the guidance, the consistent effort and sacrifices of my parents. I also had a role to play in my daily choice. I had to embrace school and did my very best. There were times when things were extremely difficult and seemed impossible. Every time I had to move from one city to another city, I had to make sure I surrounded myself with great friends and mentors.
Wherever you are in life you will always be pulled by two opposite currents; the good and the bad. If you seek to follow the positive current, there will always be people and resources available to help you. The opposite is also true. If you choose to go with the negative current, you will find people and resources that will take you down the stream with great speed. As Dr. John C. Maxwell, “The places we go, the things we do, and the people in our lives influence who we are, what we do and the results we get.”
We have the responsibility to choose the environment we want to create for ourselves and for others who count on us to lead them. The first place we need to start is inside our heart. We need to choose to follow the positive current before we are faced with the choice. A prepared mind is a powerful mind.
What are you doing to contribute positively to your current environment? If your environment is not conducive to your growth, you have the responsibility to change environment.
Thank you for your time!!! Illens Dort – authour of Thinking and Acting with a Compassionate Heart. To buy a copy go to https://www.amazon.com/author/Illensdort.
