Words often take on different meanings depending on how, when and where they are used. I am reminded of the adjective “good”. Since my youth, “wicked”, and “bad” have all been used to mean good. Recently, on YouTube, I saw an international old time pop hit by Irish singer Feargal Sharkey entitled “A good heart these days is hard to find” and I wondered how I would update this song title. “Bad” or “Wicked” did not seem to fit the bill. However my answer soon sprung to mind. No longer should it be “a good heart” it should be “a green heart”.
All of us have been prompted to think and discuss green but do we do anything about it or do we just pay lip-service to it?
We take green for granted in the same way it is easy to take the good gestures of others for granted. But we ignore them at our peril because once we stop seeing good and green we have ceased to grow.
Green quotations are uplifting. For example ponder on these: –
“As long as you are green you are growing, as soon as you are ripe you are past your prime”. (Ray Kroc).
“For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver”. (Martin Luther).
Green obviously symbolizes, fertility, richness, cool and clear surroundings, where we are at one with nature. But where should we start this Green revolution drive?
If somebody asks me this question my answer would be… from the heart itself.
Our true good green hearts will have a beneficial impact both at work and at home. “Green fingers are an extension of a verdant heart”. (Russell Page).
In this positive sense, within our workplace environment, it means that you have brought in with you an aura of buoyant and cheerful energy. This is happening because you are glowing with the green shoots of life in your core – your heart. If you do not have this “green joy of life” in you then you will have a negative impact on all your colleagues. This is why, if we all think green, we will help motivate each other when we have occasional down days. This approach, even in hard times, gives us steadfast courage to look forward to the spring.
“The forest pine stays green in winter displaying wisdom in hardship”. (Norman Douglas).
In middle management a green heart mentality will bring stability, balance and optimism.
Transparency, openness, care, compassion and emotional control are all qualities which are focused within a green culture.
Interestingly the next line of Feargal Sharkey’s song underscores our need, even with green hearts, to understand we have to cherish our abilities in order to achieve success. Each of us is special. Each of us is unique. No two green buds on any plant are identical. This is why even with my new song title, I would still finish as the original was sung.
“A green heart these days is hard to find, so please be gentle with this heart of mine”.
I am sure if we are green, good and gentle we will be so much the better for it. Remember, “Nature’s first green is worth more than gold as it is the beginning of life”.