The seeds you sow determine the crop you reap. This is pretty common knowledge. Knowledge, unfortunately, is only productive in its application, not in its accumulation or ownership.

We desire peace but sow seeds of violence and are surprised when violence is the crop.

We desire abundance but sow seeds of limitation and are surprised when lack is the crop.

We desire meaningful lives but sow meaningless acts and are surprised to reap meaningless lives.

We desire more time and longer lives but sow wasted moments and are surprised to reap time slipping away.

We desire prosperity but sow seeds of scarcity and are surprised when scarcity shows up.

We desire love and sow indifference.

We desire freedom and sow security.

And so on and so forth.

Ah, but, things are the way they are and it is best/easiest to go with the flow rather than fight it. This is the common wisdom...go with the flow.

Society is overwhelmingly materialistic, so we just go with the flow and become avid consumers. The leaders we allow and the media we believe preach fear and war, so we just go with the flow and march off to do battle. Economists and prognosticators talk about lack, limitation and scarcity so we just go with the flow and compete for a little piece of the dwindling pie. Lemmings all, going with the flow to the cliff's edge.

There is another way to go with the flow and that is to be natural as nature exemplifies. A seed sown, grows into a plant, blooms and produces flowers, things of beauty and wonder. Flowers go to seed and more flowers result. Stars go supernova and more stars result.

Do you want more beauty in your life? BE more beautiful.

Do you want more peace in your life? Be more peaceful.

Do you want more love in your life? Be more loving.

Do you want more abundance in your life? Be more abundant.

Do you want more time in your life? Be more present in the here and now.

Become as the flowers; check out the lilies of the valley.

Prosperity in those things desired is the result of sowing the appropriate seeds, nurturing the seedlings, removing the weeds that crop up and hanging around (or persisting) to catch the blooms.