The Butterfly Effect

While in Kansas City last week, I attended an art exhibit at the Kemper Museum entitled "The Butterfly Effect."  It was based on chaos theory which posits that a simple action in one place can make a profound impact elsewhere.  The phrase "the butterfly effect" comes from the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings in Japan could create ripples that change the weather across the world and cause a hurricane in the Atlantic or a storm in the midwest (More explanation here: http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Butterfly_effect.html).  The art exhibit was fairly simplistic but provocative and featured a couple of really unique pieces that forced me to consider ripple effects and how something simple can really make a big impact.

After the museum, we took a tour at the Thomas Hart Benton home.  Benton was a prominent Kansas City artist with a very distinctive style.  His works generally reflect American history and music and have wonderful lines and dimension.  During the tour, the guide talked about how he would often host musicales and dinners in his large home and detailed some of his many friends including Frank Lloyd Wright, Carl Sandburg, Harry Truman and Jackson Pollock (his student).  One can only imagine the conversations they had together.  I contemplated the effect they might have had on each other and in fact there is a Frank Lloyd Wright house next door which suggests that somehow these relationships influenced each other's work and opportunities.

I've come to learn that often we have little idea of our impact but that it is often far more reaching than we can imagine.  About 45 years ago, a young woman talked to my mom about her day at church.  A pretty simple act.  Much like a butterfly flapping its wings, she was simply being herself and living.  But as the Butterfly Effect suggests, that simple choice of being herself has had far reaching effects.  My mom joined that church, met my father, had me and my siblings and has lived a life forever changed.

Last night I attended a concert for the BYU Singers and PLU Choir of the West.  The idea of how a simple choice can have far-reaching effects was again really obvious to me as I listened to this beautiful concert.  You see, I had grown up with the desire to go to BYU and fully intended on going there.  However, when it came down to choosing schools it just didn't feel right.  Instead I felt strongly drawn to the University of Puget Sound.  I had never even been to Washington before I arrived for orientation and still wasn't sure what I even wanted to do with my life but I felt great peace about the choice and miraculously the financial aid came through.  

I realize that choosing a college is no small choice but the effects of that choice are quite obviously profound.  I attended a school where I could be nurtured without the competitiveness of a larger school and gain confidence in my musical talents.  I know that my confidence would not have survived the more competitive musical department at BYU and I would have ended up being an education or math major or studied some other non-musical field.  Me without music....I can not even imagine.  Plus, I met my husband here, and I've had two siblings and two cousins live with us and meet their spouses here, my parents moved up here to be near me.  I've had some remarkable experiences with friends and colleagues and students that I treasure...all of which were set in motion by that choice of where to go to school.

Today I am going to the temple with a woman that I used to visit teach.  She had not gone to church in about 20 years and she reactivated after we started visiting and with the help of the missionaries.  She recently renewed her temple recommend which allows her to go to the temple.  It has been remarkable to see her change and let God work in her life.  Even as she faces a scary surgery this week and has suffered some heart-breaking loss recently, she is clearly a happier woman and talks to the church with her family and friends.  She is making an impact and metaphorically flapping her own butterfly wings as she does her best in great adversity. 

I think back on the woman 45 years ago who certainly has no idea of how much of an impact she made.  She changed my mother, she changed me and her impact continues on to everyone's life who has been touched by me and in turn, everyone who their lives touch.  That young woman's choice to live her faith and not be ashamed of it has created a virtual storm of lives who are better for it.  My hope is that I can be a little more rigorous in flapping my little wings and perhaps add to this storm of goodness.