When Teruo Higa, professor for agriculture and gardening out of Japan, researched the life of bacteria, he found something astounding.
There are three types of microbes:
– some that help life and contribute to growth and health,
– some that destroy life and make it deteriorate and
– some – and this is the vast majority – that just follow the dominant trend.
And here comes the intriguing part. It only takes 15% positive microbes to build a flourishing and life affirming setting. In other words: only a small crowd is necessary to create a strong and vibrant surrounding. Good will attract more good and override the bad.
Professor Higa developed a type of gardening where he did not use pesticides and herbicides. His aim was not to destroy the bad.
Instead, he went on to foster the life affirming good and help it get more direction and strength. Today, his “effective microorganisms” are in use wherever people with an open mind are gardening.
It may sound strange but people to me seem to have a lot in common with bacteria. We all know the positive influence a person with a strong vision can have on us. And we all experienced the opposite at some point, where the negativity of others pulled our spirit down. Heck, we all know this mechanism in our own being! We are able to motivate ourselves or to destroy our own goodwill and effort by seeing ourselves as failures.
So much of life is culture.
When I think of it, creating a culture is probably the most valuable gift we can bring to the world. Creating culture means to be there for the people and have their back, cherishing life with word and deed.
Culture is something we spread intentionally or unintentionally.
Giving attention to friendship, connection and care stands in heavy contrast to those who ignore culture and just “do their job”.
Author Glenn Van Ekeren says it best: “Culture requires continual attention, nurturing, direction and adjustments. Culture doesn’t function well on automatic pilot. It flourishes when leadership is continually passionate about infusing culture with their influence.”
I don’t quite know how a microbe sees itself.
And I don’t say by any means that you personally resemble a one-celled being.
But being a happy camper and sticking to what is good and solid in life inspires everyone, that’s for sure.
Enjoy the early summer with it’s beautiful sunshine,
with so much love,
Anselma
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