Shall I Compare Thee To A Spring's Apple Tree?

"We cannot stop the winter or the summer from coming. We cannot stop the spring or the fall or make them other than they are. They are gifts from the universe that we cannot refuse. But we can choose what we will contribute to life when each arrives."

[Gary Zukav]

If I should compare myself to anything I would see myself as a Apple Tree, specifically a Apple Tree in the midst of Spring, it's just something about the sight of spring that makes you smile and feel warmth in your heart. I have seen many winters where I have felt desolate in frustration, I am not the most patient of people but I have realized that it is only through having patience that I will be able to grow. I started of as a seedling with my roots deep in fertile soil. I grew up in a moral based family, my dad being a pastor with strong beliefs in bending the tree while its still young, but the with good soil comes the expectation of good fruit trees too. As I grew from a seedling to growing a bark I have seen many who have been cut and broken some who grew to fast and some who have just been planted on near gravel and there soil filled with rock.

I have always been watched on, coming out of a pastoral clergy family, I have always had that “reputation” to uphold and increased responsibility to beware of my actions in the community. I have been judged in many instances for things that the average teenager would do, but these morals have somewhat molded me into the person I am today.

I always try to do my best in everything I do, I fear failure just as an axe to a tree for firewood. These were my winters at times, but independence to let my branches grew as they wish has always been a liberating feeling of freedom, like the feel of the spring time rain, it brought the nutrients I needed to make my own choices and follow my own ideas and dreams. My love for exploring new sights, vibrant cultures, as the beautiful colors of spring.

I have moved away from looking to take the common way and gained a sense of tolerance,  in finding peace in difference. The most beautiful of things I chose not to see in complexity but in the simple form that it is, this action is what consumed my fears and sorrows, just like the Apple Tree, it beauty is in its process of change and letting go to become purposeful.

Just as the Apple Tree in spring, my personality is like the white and pink blossoms, I take pride in showing gratitude, for the blessing bestowed to me...my waving leafs are filled with thankfulness, happiness and joy. Through every gust of wind that might pass me by, I take in what is good for me. The honey-bee pollinating my blossoms, they nurture my soul reminding me of my purpose. Rejecting all the attempts of bugs and pests, as they seek to destroy my mutual relationship with my gold and black striped friends With the sight of hope in each bud for a new generation of fruit, each bud as my growth of my skills.

My future as bright as the spring sunshine, the clouds-my dreams, giving a new light and vision to reach for the sky, like an apple tree with a dream to feed a nation. I lift up my eyes to heavens, I continue to grow and take in all that has expanded my mind as I pass through the seasons of life.

Introduction to "The Vision's Journey"

"Success begins with a thought, but is impossible without a vision..."

This has been a personal motto of mine.

I believe that if we are able to inspire ourselves, we are able to do more, become more and achieve more.

I come from an ordinary background, I have ordinary parents, I am from an ordinary school with ordinary friends. The extraordinary is derived from my dreams, my goals and sometimes: my deepest of thoughts.

Our minds too can at times be a battlefield: however the war is not with the world but within ourselves.We all have seemingly different lives, with different backgrounds and lifestyles. We each have our own goals; added to them are unique obstacles that we need to overcome in order to achieve these goals. If used effectively the mind has the potential to become the most potent engine to achieve success.This aspect is what makes us unique: the ability to analyse and make choices can be seen as a key point in reaching our success,we all have thoughts that can become reality.

My thoughts are like engines firing up with the ideas sparking in my mind. Exactly how these thoughts are birthed; I am not sure, however, to those who invest the time to get to know who I am- it is intriguing, and this is often what gets them thinking too.

I have developed a passion to seek deeper truths. I can no longer accept anything at face value.  The more I think, the more I grow and because of this my interests are vast and any task set out before me I can no longer lightly entertain instead I execute them through profound thought. I aspire to accomplish all the dreams I have envisioned and in-turn inspiring others to do the same.

These are the things that I believe,that sets me apart from the ordinary; they make me unique and give me the ability to set “my vision” to conquer all obstacles holding me back from my destination. This is success.

“Cherish your visions and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements”

[Napoleon Hill]

We are only able to succeed if we set the right vision for ourselves. We may have all our dreams thought out: this begs the question: “can a journey be taken without a vision?” and “can this journey ever be completed, if we don’t put the vision into action and take the first step?”

My interpretation regarding my motto: “Success begins with a thought, but is impossible without a vision...”

We can break it down and say:

Ø  Success: Our destination and what we want to achieve, and as a matter of fact everybody dreams of success no matter how advantaged or disadvantaged we categorize ourselves as being.

Ø  Begins: The spark needed for an eternal flame which is symbolic to success, our destination.

Ø  Thought: As soon as we start to dream and think of success we have placed ourselves in the position to achieve it already, we take the first step of the journey.

Ø  Impossible: Somethings limit our success and these are the obstacles that hold us back from the loads of opportunities the world has to offer, they restrict us from reaching our destination.

Ø  Vision: Thought is powerful but thought alone can’t bring us our success, it's unreachable if we don’t have a vision to follow, and without action our thoughts instantly lose their power and become meaningless in our aim to accomplish success.

Thoughts are the fundamental steps, the starting point towards our destination

(success): however our life vision,thought is what truly should be the concept keeps us going to conquer all obstacles and situations through this journey we see as life…

I am Nathan Edward Swartz, and this is my vision, my journey, I am the vision and this is “The Vision’s Journey.”

“The journey of a thousand kilometers starts with one step…”

[Unknown]