Nothing is Wasted . . .
In the late Fall, the floor of the woods is covered in natures waste. Dried plants, broken limbs, pine cones, dead trees, fallen leaves and pine needles blanket the ground inches deep. But, is the forest waste really “wasted”?
“As I sit here slowly (very slowly) healing, I feel like time is being wasted. There are things I want to do, need to do, and have no energy, mind, or strength to do. One of my favorite Christian musician (Jason Gray) put out a new CD recently and allowed a 24 hour period to listen for free online. I still have his song “Nothing is Wasted” going through my head. Sometimes seemingly unproductive time and things we do, feel like a waste … but, further down the road we can see (or justify) that none of it was wasted … it was something we needed to experience to get us to a new place.”
That was my comment in response to Kathy’s post “Start Immediately, No Exceptions.” Lake Superior Spirit a several weeks back. Before I read that post, the topic of “seize the day” and “wasted time”, had been sneaking into my thoughts often while I was sick. During my recuperation time, a minute has felt like an hour, and hour like a day … I have been unable to “start now” and feeling sorry for myself about all the time I was wasting just waiting around to heal. Others commented on Kathy’s post that there were other things that I could do like meditate, make plans, crafts, etc … that might help with that feeling of waste. It took me some time, but when I started feeling a little better, I accepted that this healing time is not being wasted, I am just being forced to spend time in other ways. Ways not in my plans, but in ways that can enrich my life if I allow it to. Although I can not do many things I would like to do, I am not helpless and there are new things I can do. I have the freedom and ability to decide how and what is important for me to do with the time I have been given to heal. I am in control of how I “seize the day”.
Unfortunately, there are many situations in life that force us to face what we consider “waste”. I am positive all of us have dealt with circumstances where we thought … “What a waste of time and/or effort”. For example, when our relationships fail, years of work do not lead us to our goal, or our procrastination or fears keep us from opportunities, changing, and growing in new ways. Although it may all feel like a total waste of some aspect of our life, it really isn’t. Something comes from the waste eventually. It is only when we allow the regrets, failures, and “what ifs” to haunt us that it truly becomes a waste.
The main purpose of doing whatever “it” is immediately and not waiting (also stressed in Kathy’s post), is to avoid those feelings of regret, lost opportunities, and waste. To experience that feeling of “life” we get when we “do it” and put the worries aside is wonderous. However, sometimes the act of doing something (whether immediately or later) does not always pay off in a positive way and we can rethink and torture ourselves with our “do it immediately” actions just as much as the ones we thought about extensively. It all comes down to making decisions, acting on them (with varying speeds), and learning to live with the consequences good or bad of the choices and actions we take.
I have come to realize that even if we do feel that we have waste in our lives, it eventually serves some kind of purpose somewhere down the road. Just like the “waste” of the forest feeds the animals, enriches the soil, helps the trees to grow and provides a source of heat, the “waste” in our lives can enrich our souls, too.
“Nothing is Wasted” … the new song by Jason Gray that I mentioned in my blog comment, brought me back to truths I knew, but had forgotten while I was feeling sorry for myself. Everything in life has a purpose. The purpose of this time of sickness may not be evident to me right now, but it will not be time wasted, something will come of it down the road. One thing I have already learned to appreciate more is my own body and it’s health. Without your health, life is extremely challenging to live. And, healing is a miraculous thing. As I see what my body can do to make itself heal I am amazed and feel very fortunate that my ailments were repairable – that is not always true. No matter the condition, these bodies that we live in are truely miracles.
“…It’s from the deepest wounds
That beauty finds a place to bloom
And you will see before the end
That every broken piece is
Gathered in the heart of Jesus
And what’s lost will be found again
And nothing is wasted … ”
~ Jason Gray (Nothing is Wasted)
Link to “Nothing is Wasted” YouTube video .. check out another new song
“Fear is Easy, Love is Hard”, too.
It is wonderful.
A link to Jason’s Blog at WordPress
Bear in Mind 
You are not wasting time. Your body needs that time to heal properly. I understand how you feel though. I went through it years ago after surgery. I had the opportunity to sleep in yesterday since I had the day off…I couldn’t bring myself to do it because there were so many things i wanted to accomplish! I think there is truly a purpose for most things, except maybe mosquitos and gnats, but I’m sure there is a purpose for them as well! Hope you’re up and about soon.
You must be pretty passionate about what you were going to do to give up a lazy morning. Lazy mornings are not wasted … I enjoy them so much. I agree about the mosquitoes. I wish the mouse that has taken up residence in my car would start serving it’s purpose … food for the fox, hawk, owl or eagle. :0)
Just as nothing is wasted, I think when our bodies force us to slow down, there is purpose and reason in it. It is not at all, as you’ve discovered, wasted time. Back in 2006-2007 when I had to spend months healing, I learned that lesson too.
Wonderful post, Bearyweather. I am so happy to hear you are healing. 🙂
The fact that our bodies can force us to do what they need us to do is part of the miracle. We really need to listen to our bodies more … there were so many little signs of sickness I did not pick up on until afterward. It is a tough lesson to learn … but, something we all have to experience I guess.
I am glad I am feeling better, too.
I truly believe nothing is wasted. It always amazes me how hard it sometimes is for us humans to realize this. I keep realizing it to deeper degrees all the time. It sounds to me like your illness is helping you to realize it deeper, too. Blessings, bearyweather. P.S. am also thinking now about bears hibernating…and whether a bear might think that time was wasted or that it should be accomplishing something other than the blessed sweet sleep of a season.
I thought about the bears, too (of course :-)). Until I started watching the bear den cameras, I thought that bears just slept more then half of their life away. They are lazy, but life goes on in that den through it all … grooming, playing, birth, nursing, etc … it is an awful long time to spend with “family” in a confined space. It tells me that bears are very patient, tolerant and loving creatures.