The fertility of chaos

Anaïs Nin once said, “In chaos, there is fertility”. This statement is extremely profound and encompassing, it is full of intellectual worth and value. However, for one to fully grasp its meaning and significance, they have to understand the concepts of fertility and chaos. This is important because, an understanding of fertility and chaos as individual concepts will subsequently lead to the discovery of the beauty in the juxtaposition of Nin’s assertion.

            According to the Oxford dictionary, the word ‘chaos’ can be defined as a state of complete disorder and confusion. Chaos is definitely not a foreign concept because we all deal with it on a day-to-day basis. Chaos is probably the only thing concept that is consistent and constant throughout our existence as humans. A Greek philosopher called Heraclitus once said, “Change is the only constant in life”. As much this is extremely accurate, it also validates my penultimate statement because with change comes chaos.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word ‘fertility’ as the ability to produce many ideas. Most people who have gained success and maintained it, possess a fertile mind and a fertile imagination. Fertility broadens horizons and expands perspectives and thought processes. People with fertile minds are trailblazers and they are never afraid to fail because they have plans B to Z to fall back on.

Fertility is the endpoint, the desired result, the big picture, but in order to get there it is important for one to pass through a stage of chaos. There are so many reasons why chaos is important, for one, passing through a time of obstacles and uncertainty helps increase value of the endpoint. The value that one attaches to their desired result will determine their ability to maintain it when they achieve it. Also, when people pass through chaotic times, it forces them to realize that they are a lot stronger than they thought. There is a popular saying that “one never knows how strong they are, until that is the only option”.

Every situation in life leads to a positive outcome and therefore a stage of complete and utter chaos is inevitable. A positive outcome is not necessarily the outcome one desired to begin with, it could be the outcome one had tried to avoid. An outcome that is perceived to be negative really isn’t, it is a learning experience. Learning how not to do something is just as important as learning how to do something. Gold is arguably the most precious metal in the world but it is no way excluded from chaos.

Childbirth is the most beautiful process in human existence but it definitely does not start out that way. First of all, I think it is paramount to establish that like life, every experience is different. Never use another person’s map for your own journey. However, there are few things that cut across all boards. For example, the bouts of seemingly unending and excruciating pain the mother experiences. Childbirth is a test of the mother’s strength as a woman and the strength of the foundation of the relationship she has with her partner.  Like childbirth, life throws at us many different situations; some of which are best dealt with alone, and others that require a solid support system and team. There is wisdom in knowing the difference.

Another process that comes with a lot of chaos is brainstorming. Brainstorming is a group problem-solving technique that involves the spontaneous contribution of ideas from all members of the group. It is important because it makes the work easier and more effective in the long run. After the brainstorming session, after all the temper tantrums and meltdowns, everyone kind of finds their bearing and naturally slips into their specialized roles.  Brainstorming is a great way for one to discover their natural strengths and an opportunity to work on their weaknesses in a semi-judgemental atmosphere. It teaches skills that will be beneficial for life, skills such as patience, quick analytical thinking, how to work effectively in a team and alone and empathy.

There are many different stages in one’s academic career and for the most part, it is extremely chaotic. The most chaotic, however has to be the university application process. There are so many decisions to be made and there are so many people involved. For starters, deciding on a major is a daunting task and it has to be done right, because it will determine what happens in the future. There are so many options and usually your head and your heart are going in opposite directions, which makes it significantly more difficult to go through.  It is worth it though, because there are numerous benefits. I mean everyone wants to be rich, but what gives one the ability to stand out and be different and think outside the box is everything else your chosen path adds to you. In the end, if money is the only motivation, it is less likely that one will be willing to go through the chaotic stage, which makes it is less likely that one will reach the desired finish line.

FAMILY. Both the ones God chose and more importantly in this case, the ones you choose, also known as friends. I say friends are more important than biological family because one is less obliged to go through the chaotic part. For the members of most biological families, especially when a child is going through puberty, it is very tense. This is because teenagers fail to agree with their parents and a strain is often put on the relationship. I think the main source of tension is the fact that parents give advice based on their own experiences and their teenagers are frustrated because they are walking hormones and they think their experiences are totally different from their parents’, so its chaos. This may sound absurd but it is important for both parent and child to go through this phase, because this is when they both learn to compromise. The parents realize that their child is growing up and their child realizes they do really need their parents advice and support to survive.

For friends, it is important to decipher early in the friendship whether both people are willing to deal with the other’s excesses. Friendship requires a mutual appreciation and respect for one another but it takes most people a lot longer than it should, to figure that out. A person’s closest friends are the ones that they don’t feel like they have to be perfect for, the ones that one doesn’t hide their chaos from. Real friends help each other deal with their chaos and help each other grow and develop as people. Real friends are perfectly content in each other’s chaos. Most conversations I have with my closest friends are extremely heated but I always learn something. I either gain a new perspective on a topic or learn something new about the personality of my friend and that goes on to improve our communication and our relationship in the future. If after the chaos of a heated argument, I have gained nothing, it is an indication that the person is more of an acquaintance than a friend.

Chaos is a very important aspect of life because through it, we get to experience the richness and complexity of our existence, and there is always an opportunity for growth and evolution. If that is not beautiful, I don’t know what is. I think the message behind Anaïs Nin’s quote is panoramic and encompassing because it applies to life as a whole. There is also something very comforting about it, because it reminds us that when we get to those difficult moments and when we face certain challenges in life and the endpoint is difficult to see, in the midst of the chaos, we can be reminded that there is purpose and value and meaning in what seems to be nothing at all.