I want to say up front, some people are going to be disappointed by this book, because they are going to measure it by volume, not by content. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT by Andy Andrews can be read cover to cover in fifteen minutes, but I have read many pages that did not contain a fraction of the message and meaning of this tiny book.
This is the message Andy presents regarding the butterfly effect, specifically where he talks about the actions of Col. Chamberlin and Norman Borlaug. These are both incredible stories that everyone should hear. I have used both of these stories in meetings and they are always met with tremendous emotion.
For just a moment I would like to place my own little spin on the butterfly effect. Things happen for a reason. God has a Divine plan that is beyond our comprehension. Have you ever known exactly where you were going but for some reason took a wrong turn? You've made this same journey 1,000 times but for some reason today, you weren't paying attention and turned left instead of right. What were you thinking?
Some people might slough this off as nothing, but I don't believe that. What if you had turned right as you always do? Perhaps by turning left, you avoided an accident and in that accident a young girl might have been injured or killed. Whose to say that young girl might have one day given birth to the person who someday cures cancer? By making a wrong turn, that tragedy was avoided.
Now Andy's message here is much more deliberate and is more centered on the importance of every action we take, or don't, but the concept is the same. Actions matter. Actions make a difference and sometimes a much greater difference than we will ever be aware of. The 2 minute conversation you have the annoying neighbor kid may be of greater importance than the speech you give in front of a room full of people.
I've always believed in the Butterfly Effect. There was a movie once about a young boy and it showed what direction things would have taken if he'd done things differently. Very impressive. I'm sure this book is too.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of the Butterfly Effect, but your description reminds me of the book 90 Minutes in Heaven. The author talks about the events leading up to his tragic accident, and how a simple decision to travel a different way home than he had previously taken had changed his life forever. If you haven't read that book, I highly recommend it.
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