I selected this quote for Earth Day 2013, because it seemed so simple at first. However, the more I consider what it means, the more sure I am that I don’t fully understand the breadth and depth of the statement. After all, aren’t actions fraught with expectation — when I plant a seed, I expect it to grow. Seems reasonable, right? Yet planting a garden, as with most things in life, doesn’t always turn out the way you planned. But therein is the lesson — to act without expectation — that allows us to adapt to our ever-changing surroundings in the moment, instead of reacting to anticipated, predetermined outcomes.

What got me started on this tangent is that Earth Day (today, April 22) comes around each year with various expectations. For instance, that people will take a moment to notice the natural world around them just a little bit more, whether it’s by planting a seedling, noticing a tree during their commute, or, for Coloradans this year at least, preparing for another spring snow, and that they’ll take some time to appreciate good ol’ mother nature for her beauty and her bounty.

So, think a moment — what are your expectations for today? How are your actions connected to them? And what, if you could, would you change?

In regards to planting seeds, our peas are beginning to poke through and it’s a wondrous sight. Who knows what another blanket of snow might bring?

One new perception, one fresh thought, one act of surrender, one change of heart, one leap of faith, can change your life forever. —Robert Holden

—Amy DePierre