The Butterfly Effect
The Butterfly Effect is a theory in chaos theory that states small changes can lead to big differences over time. It’s often illustrated by the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil could cause a tornado in Texas.
But what about the butterfly effect in our daily lives? I’ve thought a lot recently about how small, minor decisions have led me to places I never could have guessed I’d be six months ago.
Not exactly physical places, but mentally, situationally, and opportunity-wise. I look back and realize the first tiny change, the first small thought that led me to where I am now. Sometimes you can look back in confusion, wondering whether that was, in fact, the right decision at the time. But we can’t change the past, so there’s no point wasting time worrying over it.
When I reflect, I can recognize where the butterfly effect began to take place. Then I recall how I had to somehow get to the point that led me there, and I begin to wonder if there was ever really a starting point at all. Or is it simply a compilation of choices made over an extremely long period of time? Was there ever a true beginning, or has it always been happening? Realistically, maybe it began the day we were born, and that’s just how it is.
The butterfly effect sometimes leaves me without answers, answers to why I believe it led me to certain places. But being unsure isn’t always a bad thing. You can’t have everything figured out; that would take away the curiosity of living.
I often wonder why, on so many occasions, the butterfly has left me with the same outcome over and over again. Is it me? Or is there a lesson I needed to learn repeatedly?
The same lesson can become tiring after a while, not because I don’t learn anything, because all I do is learn from it, but because I lack the understanding of what else was meant to be gained from it. Was it just wasted time? What did we truly end up with after the lesson was complete?
Apparently, the universe places us in the same situation time and time again until we accept that maybe it simply isn’t the right situation for us. You will never find peace in something you were never meant to settle in.
Even if you want that peace desperately, if the hurdles keep appearing, it probably wasn’t meant for you. Unfortunate, yes but it allows us to grow and evolve, even when we don’t want to. Even when we feel like we’ve evolved enough, there is still more to come.
Growth is painful. Acceptance requires shutting your ego down and saying, “Okay, this is how it is, and I’m okay with that.” Sometimes it will leave you angry and frustrated, but again you have to say, “Okay, this is how it is, and I’m okay with that.”
We can’t change what we can’t control. There will be times when we can’t control the situation or how it plays out; we just have to stay true to ourselves. We can’t control how people feel or what they do. We can only be true to ourselves.
Yes, it might be painful. But fighting for something that isn’t fighting for you is worse.
The butterfly effect can bring confusion, but trust me when I say that every one of those small decisions, small thoughts, big decisions, and big thoughts were there for a reason. Whether you know the reason yet or not is beside the point. You have to trust yourself enough to believe that each one of those moments was right for that time in your life.
They will guide you to where you need to be.
Sending Love
K.