Something out of the ordinary usually happens with surprising regularity and, in a frantic flurry of flying fingers, I whack away on the keyboard and jot down the rough copy of what will become my next piece. This something doesn’t have to be a life-altering event. Sometimes it’s a slight deviation from the day-to-day. I might get lost in Vancouver while trying to find a record store, or come across a poorly punctuated menu board outside a local restaurant.
But on the rare occasion that something doesn’t happen and there’s no little light bulb moment, I like to think about all the decisions that got me to where I am today. I’m fascinated by the choices we make – large and small – that redirect our lives. This may seem like an overly philosophical way to kill time, but I’m just that kind of guy.
It’s not always easy or enjoyable to get thrown off course, but things usually have a way of working out. I’ve learned to appreciate the unpredictability of life. Seemingly small and insignificant decisions can lead one to unexpected moments of beauty or clarity.
The Butterfly Effect is a term that has leaked into popular culture thanks to time-travel stories, but its actual meaning is steeped in science. It refers to the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory. Tiny changes within a complex system can lead to results that are impossible to predict. For example, the flapping of a butterfly’s wings could create tiny changes in the atmosphere that lead to violent weather conditions elsewhere on the planet.
I often wonder what would have happened if I had sat at that table instead of this one at a conference, or turned left instead of right during a walk through town. These thoughts could drive someone crazy, but I like to remain open to the idea that any little decision can alter the trajectory of my life. This way, the big decisions don’t seem so daunting.
If I hadn’t accepted a teaching position in a small fly-in fishing community, I wouldn’t have met the woman who would become my wife and mother of my children. If I hadn’t accepted a position in the centre of the frankincense trade, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, I wouldn’t have written my first travel memoir and become an emerging writer. If I hadn’t ‘borrowed’ an old treadmill, I wouldn’t have started running and amassing a fine collection of stinky stretchy shorts and asymmetrical socks.
Whether large or small, the right choices aren’t always easy to make. Sometimes I scroll through social media instead of going for a run or writing a couple paragraphs. Sometimes I go for a run or write a couple paragraphs instead of hanging out with my family. Of course most choices aren’t a matter of right or wrong and, while new-age gurus talk about self-actualization and finding one’s true potential, I prefer not to take myself too seriously. I like to have a little faith in the universe when I sit here and turn there, and think on where I might be in a year or two. With an open mind, anything’s possible.