When we moved to Iowa from Texas almost eight years ago, we noticed something strange our first winter here. People took vacations…during winter. Initially, we thought that strange since summers were the typical vacation season down south. However, after not too many years, we began to understand the appeal of exiting the cold for a week or so. So now we, too, take a vacation in mid-winter! We just returned from a week in San Diego and found it a little ironic that for much of the week, the temperatures were warmer here than there. Regardless, we had a great time in a part of the country that is very different from Algona. The trees are different, the houses are different, and, of course, the sound of waves breaking onto the rocks and sand is certainly different.

While there, we discovered that Ted Geisel, known to everyone as “Dr. Seuss”, lived in San Diego much of his adult life. We happened across a gallery showing some of his works and talked with the folks the working there. They explained to us how Dr. Seuss spent hours each day watching the people around him and gathering ideas to fuel his incredible imagination. Some of the works in the gallery were specifically created as a reflection of what he saw in and around him in San Diego.

The works that really fascinated us, however, were the ones that weren’t intended to reflect specific things he saw in San Diego, but served as a reflection of that area nonetheless. You’ve seen the wonderful trees and shrubs in his books. You’ll b surprised to know that you can find slightly less fantastic versions of them in San Diego. When we started looking, we saw many trees with tufts of green on the tips of turning and twisting branches. We saw hillsides full of different and unexpected colors. We saw shrubs and bushes that grew twisting and spinning in odd directions. Now, to be clear, we did not see a lorax, a gaak, or a yink. However, we did see enough to find starting points for a great mind to take and spin a fantastic universe of fun.

I learned from this that no matter who you are, or what kind of amazing imagination that you may have, you are influenced by the world around you. Even Dr. Seuss, arguably one of the most imaginative minds ever, was clearly influenced by what was happening around him. This served as an excellent reminder to me that our environment matters. What we see every day matters. The words that we hear every day matters. Our environment shapes us whether we are aware of it our not.

What does your environment look like? What do you surround yourself with every day? Take a moment to reflect on your surroundings. What would you like to be exposed to that you don’t see in your life today? There is a lot of good in this world, but sometimes it takes work to move beyond the bad and find the good. There are people in this town and area that would love to help you find the good. The greatest source of good in this world comes through the Holy Spirit, working in our midst to give us blessings. The good is there. Surround yourself with it and watch as what you produce begins to change for the better. As Dr. Seuss himself said, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”