Effortless life and living, no-worry life and living, harmonious life and living are the hallmarks of the path of peace.

We move towards these things, yes, to fill our own cup but so that we might perform the most noble service to earth and humanity, and to experience a joy like no other—thus demonstrating the wondrous potential of a human being.

To do so, we act when ripe. Plucking an unripe fruit, results in effort and a bitter taste. A ripe fruit glides off its stem and tastes sweet.

Acting when ripe means acting when we know what to do. We have clarity. Insight. Awareness of truth. Usually, this is an internally-informed feeling that shows up as a movement towards something.

If acted on, all the observable and subtle qualities of nature become our experience. Profound connectedness, ease, harmony, fulfillment to name a few.

That could be a conversation. An entrepreneurial aspiration or project. International travel. A marriage proposal. Always, it will involve some form of creative reaching out from the heart with the goal of service and connection.

What happens though, in so many cases? Thought and thinking kick in. Doubt. Fear. Past, conditioned responses arise that teach you, “You will be unsafe if you do this thing you know you should do.”

Many of us, then, forsake our truth and what is wanting to happen for a kind of safety and protection.

Unfortunately, as a long-term strategy, that safety and protection becomes a liability. Something feels missing. We know there is more for us. Deep, frustration grips us, and depression in some cases. A number of other anxieties as well.

That frustration will not let go until we let go of our will to protect ourselves to the detriment of the larger dream looking for expression.

We don’t believe we are looked after. We don’t believe answers will come. We don’t believe we will survive. Oh, how tempting these narratives are to believe and oh, how very false and misleading.

We must turn and be like children, as has been said. To turn means to face ourselves, our truth, and what is being asked of us. Look it in the eye. To be like children means to act when ripe, or to act “just because.”

Children act based on feeling, which is to say, heart intelligence. Often they don’t know why they’re doing what they’re doing. In this way, they behave like the little masters that they are. They have not yet learned to the fear world. So they flow their creativity, without reservation, often with large smiles.

So it can be with us. You can either think about what to do and make decisions that are unripe because you fear for your safety, or you can assume a little risk and act because you know what to do. It may not make a lot of sense, it might challenge what you’ve been taught, but it’s what you want to do—it’s what you know is right.

This is the choice of choices. However, it’s not really a choice. Eventually, after enough suffering, drama, and turmoil — seeking, even — we finally turn towards the “light.” We surrender.

We surrender to the light of our wisdom, the light of our soul’s knowing, and the light of all that is possible through living in agreement with these beautiful things.