Planting

If we had a chance to plant something for the future, what would it be?

Our spring weather has been erratic this year. Still, in our neighborhoods, locals are at work cleaning up their gardens, trimming bushes, seeding lawns, and planting annuals. Colorful pansies are one of the favorite blooms found around borders, mailbox posts, and up walkways.

Depending on our local climates, some planting tasks maybe done year-round. It might not be productive to toss seeds randomly out our windows any given season, hoping to see them sprout. On the other hand, Jack’s mother threw magic beans out their window in the fairytale “Jack and the Beanstalk”, which yielded some interesting - and scary - adventures for Jack. This confirms that planning is helpful, but some spontaneous actions work in magical ways too.

Gardens are the most obvious things that come to mind. Vegetables gardens are great because we can pick dinner (and dessert) from our own backyard if we plan everything right. Asparagus is one of the early spring yields for a food source. Broccoli varieties enjoy cool weather, and can be picked in spring, summer, and fall. U-Pick strawberry patches are currently open in our area. Why not plant strawberries in our own back yards too?  Bulbs, like Crocus, Daffodils, Hyacinth, and Tulips, return each spring after fall planting. In fact, bulbs will produce flowers from spring through fall in a staggered fashion, determined by when we plant them. Fruit trees take a few years to mature into huge producers.  If we never get started, we will never see the results!

Ideas can be planted too. In the most negative view, “seeds of doubt” may be planted in our minds by someone else. (We also, unfortunately, plant them in ourselves.) By the same token, we can counter “seeds of doubt” with more confident thinking. An idea can grow into solutions, inventions, inspiration for others (books/blogs/speeches), businesses, and creative masterpieces. We are capable of growing the seed of an idea into a BIG production, but we don’t have to. An idea may simply be the beginning of understanding our own hopes and dreams. If we talk ourselves out of growing any particular idea, at least we know ideas are available. Where one popped up in our minds, another will follow. (Magical!  Like Jack’s beanstalk.) Knowing the value of our own seeds, we also have the opportunity to plant positive seeds in the minds of our children, grandchildren, friends, family members, and others we care about.

Seed money supports someone else’s idea, business, or nonprofit. If we have the means to invest in someone else’s startup, we can watch them grow. After seed funding establishes firm ground, we might also benefit in financial profits. It’s a win-win. Perhaps we don’t see ourselves as real investors. If not, consider this. We purchase products and services from businesses and donate to our favorite charities.   In a way, we are providing seed money by doing business. When a business makes enough profit to stay in business - we can continue to enjoy their products and services. In the nonprofit world, seeding a nonprofit with financial support helps that nonprofit thrive enough to maintain their individual missions. We are then assisting those community causes we care about. As we continue to offer financial support in doing business and supporting our favorite causes, the community wheels keep turning. It’s a chain of life.

Transplanting is required when a plant has no room to grow. Carefully separating the knotted roots of a root-bound plant is difficult, but if we are gentle and take our time, it can be done successfully. When transplanted to a larger pot, our favorite plants thrive. There are times we might consider transplanting ourselves from one location to another. Whether moving to a new apartment or house locally, across country to another city, or somewhere else in the world, transplanting offers a chance to revive a stifled life. Certainly, packing up and moving about can be very stressful. On the other hand, think about the new adventures we have yet to experience and the refreshed frame of mind which opens us to experience those adventures.

Look at the skillsets we are creating within ourselves and teaching others as a result of planting! Here are some:

• Planning/plotting
• Using tools/hands
• Researching
• Testing
• Communication
• Flexibility
• Awareness
• Open Mindedness
• Nurturing
• Patience

There’s one more thing we should always include. Plant hope. What a relief we feel when there’s a glimmer of hope in otherwise trying times! All of us have the power to plant that glimmer in ourselves, and spread the good news to others. There is no specific season to plant hope, and no specific time. We run into opportunities with every conversation, observation, and news story.

We all are the seeds of humanity. Humanity is our world's garden. Let’s plant and nurture humanity. Think hopeful thoughts. Persist in good weather and bad, darkness and light, coolness and warmth.  We don’t need a specific plan. Scatter positive seeds. It doesn’t matter where they land. Wherever it is, something magical has the opportunity to sprout.

What would we choose?  Whatever it is, let's stay inspired by planting it together.

Paula C Snyder

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