A few years ago, my beautiful tulip tree bloomed in October. She’d also bloomed the previous spring, but for some strange reason, she bloomed again! 

Her untimely flowering made me think of time and how unpredictable it can be. It also reminded me of a conversation I often had with my father, especially when my carefully organized plans started falling apart. A lover of words and a student of the Greek etymology and exegesis in his work, he told me that ancient Greeks had two words for time: chronos and kairos.

Chronos refers to specific, sequential, or chronological time. Kairos means a season or an opportune time, as in the saying, “the time is ripe.” 

“Relax your plans, BB,” I can hear him telling me. “Trust the process.” Interesting advice from the man who also taught me, “what’s planned is possible.” Yet, through the years, I’ve learned the value of both approaches. But with each passing year, I do find myself planning less and trusting more. 

For sure, chronos can fail us. Our best schedules and plans become delayed, derailed, or even destroyed. Yet, if we keep moving through life, absorbing the conditions, growing through the process, perhaps an unexpected kairos can occur. In fact,

In fact, some events come to fruition that we didn’t plan or even envision. Yet they seem to be right on time.

My upcoming book launch is beginning to feel this way! The unique combination of lightly-held plans and fortunate circumstances appears to be right on time—an unbelievable number of pre-orders at an upcoming book signing, a local boutique placing a double-digit order for the gifting season, and another unexpected order for an upcoming board meeting.

Looking back, I suppose I planted seeds along the way. But just like you can’t control when a tree is going to bloom you certainly can’t predict what efforts are going to bear fruit. 

Perhaps all you can do is plant seeds, nurture them, and trust the process. 

How about you? Any unexpected blooms this season? What seeds of success are you planting?

And on we go. . .

P.S. Excited to be interviewed by Medium’s Authority Magazine – Mindset Matters: Author Rebecca Faye Smith Galli of Morning Fuel On How To Build Stress Resilience with a Positive Mindset.