Perspectives: Order and Chaos

“In the midst of chaos there is also opportunity”- Sun Tzu

A Memory

When I was 8 years old, I woke up one day with a sharp pain in my belly. It turned out to be appendicitis, and I needed surgery. You can imagine just how scared 8 year old me was. I was terrified at the thought of being cut open by strangers.

Up until that point in my life, things were pretty chill and predictable. I was a happy child who did well in school, and my days followed a familiar routine. However, the week leading up to my surgery was the scariest of my childhood. I remember being wheeled into the operating room and seeing my parents embrace. The surgeon reassured me everything would be okay before I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, my dad was there, and even though I was disoriented, I felt safe.

It's been 17 years since then, and I long for the days when an appendectomy was my biggest worry. Life is much more chaotic now, and I constantly have to prioritize problems and put out fires.

Order and Chaos

Chaos is a difficult concept to define without using words like "order" or "confusion." It's something that the human mind can't fully grasp, as defining something means putting it in a box and drawing boundaries. That’s why today I won’t try to define chaos. Instead I’ll describe it.

Chaos is everything you don’t know. Chaos is an 8 year old boy being wheeled into surgery for the first time. It’s a loved one passing, a raging storm in the middle of the night. Chaos is your girlfriend breaking up with you after catching you cheating or you slipping up and saying something stupid on live TV. It’s accidentally breaking a plate in the kitchen or falling down the stairs. Chaos is the dark and empty void that existed before creation.

Order, on the other hand, is characterized by predictability and routine. It is the comforting rhythm of daily life, the familiar patterns of waiting in line or the sound of a morning alarm. Order is the traffic light at a busy intersection. It's a clean room, labels on a store shelf or opening your eyes in the morning. Order is an 8 year old boy waking up from his first surgery to see his dads face. It's the stars and heavenly bodies that light up the infinite universe. Order by its very nature fits in a box. 

While order is generally perceived as good, an excess of it can stifle creativity and hinder progress. It can lead to stagnation and a lack of innovation, as people become trapped in rigid structures and routines. Conversely, chaos, while often disruptive, can also be a catalyst for growth and change. It can lead to breakthroughs and new discoveries, forcing people to adapt and evolve. In fact, I’d argue that all great discoveries came about as a result of men and women venturing bravely into the unknown. 

How To Navigate Chaos and Order

True growth and development requires a balance of both chaos and order. A certain degree of chaos is necessary to create order, as it is through disruption that new systems and structures can emerge. However, too much order can lead to rigidity and ultimately a chaotic breakdown. A fulfilling life is lived on the edge of both, embracing flexibility and knowing when to live by established norms and when to venture into the unknown.

Finding the equilibrium between chaos and order is a hallmark of wisdom and maturity. By embracing both chaos and order, you can lead a life that is both meaningful and fulfilling, characterized by a renewed understanding of the complexities of existence.

Love, 

Udoka