Chaucer and Chaos

All good things must come to an end. Says who and why? Well evidently it was Chaucer back in 1374. The why part requires more research.  
I was thinking about chaos the other day. There are certain people of whom it is said that chaos follows them around. Or, they thrive in chaos. That if things are going along too smoothly, they must throw a wrench into it in order to create a little chaos. They are more comfortable in a state of chaos.  
So this led me to wonder about chaos. In my past I have heard words Chaos Theory, but never delved into it. So I take to the information super highway and find some interesting ideas. One website that I find is fractalfoundation.org and the authors of this site suggest that chaos is the idea that one should expect the unexpected. Chaos is about surprises. Yet, one of their leading principles of the Chaos Theory is what is called: The Butterfly Effect. This principle explains the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings in a certain specific way at one precise moment and time in one geographic location (let’s say California) could result over time in a hurricane event off the coast of Singapore. One tiny event impacting in a much greater way down the timeline in another place. But what does that have to do with chaos? In my view, this unexpected hurricane is not unexpected at all, it is the result of an action somewhere else that is simply unknown but has a definite impact on the world somewhere else. It is a continuum of action and reaction.  
I wonder what might have happened in my life if I had been exposed to science at an earlier age by a mentor or teacher that had passion and an interest that was contagious. If rather than noticing my voice in music class, if a cool teacher that is cool because he or she is dialed into each student and paying attention to their skills and talents – would have called it out to me. Said something like: “this is really amazing, you could go far with this skill.”. Would I have become excited about that skill and particular discipline to the point of pursuing it further .. into science, or math or other fields of intrigue that might have set me on a completely different course? What might have happened if I had felt noticed in school? If I had experienced a parent that took interest in my daily school work? I don’t recall ever having my parents ask me about any school work, ever. It was my job to be the student, do my homework, get good grades but I never had anyone say to me: what are you working on there? And, it never occurred to me that someone would be interested.  
Today, I hear about parents sitting at kitchen tables with their kids, doing homeworK. Parents involved in many aspects of the schooling process. Looking back, I don’t think I was alone in my school experience- perhaps it is a generational thing. In the last 10-20 years, life is just different than it was back in the 60s and 70s. Families are different. Some would say in a bad way, but that’s not my view. While we may believe that technology has distanced kids with their gadgets, I still believe from my vantage point, that in some ways things seem to be better.  
If a parent or teacher or leader or mentor- pays attention to a child, encourages, notices and hails the child’s efforts- will that child be impacted in a positive way? The answer is of course: yes. The impact of a small action from one person, or many small actions from a few- will make a difference on a much larger scale down the road – out on the horizon- in the distance of time. Children being seen and heard by adults or individuals in a power position, encouraging that child, noticing that child when he or she does something remarkable or maybe even – not so remarkable. That is the miracle of this theory. That is the charge. Helping souls move forward on a course of positive impact who can later pass along that positive impact with yet another soul.   
So that expression earlier about a person who thrives in chaos, was that even an accurate assessment? Or, is this about a person who just thrives on drama? Or maybe it is someone who thrives in or on chaos after all; someone who is used to having their world turned upside down by upset, drama, pain, and disappointment. If life seems to even then one must create a situation that will bring some electricity into the circumstances. Break up the tension.    
Does this tie with Chaos Theory, Butterflies and Fractals? I am not sure, but I am excited about the small thought that I had about chaos, and how itmoved me down a road for some reason to think about chaos and then from there drew me into a quest to know more about it and its principles. A whole new subject matter has opened up for me and I have to thank Chaucer for it. Maybe. All good things may come to an end, but perhaps good things end so that new chapters of other good things can begin. It’s not dismal, it’s not final. It’s a hope for a different set of moments, a new perspective, a new challenge. A new journey. Here’s to chaos!