"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."
Audrey Hepburn
I know so many of you are feeling helpless during this time. I know I am. Sure, we can donate money, reach out and stay in touch with people virtually and on the phone, and post positive, reassuring thoughts and quotes on Facebook, but there is a part of us deep down inside that needs to "do" something, a physical action that energizes our bodies and minds. Planting seeds is my answer to fulfilling that need.
I've mentioned before that I was thinking about starting some kind of an indoor garden in my tiny space, but all I've done is talk about it. Today I am digging out the little pots I have stashed under the sink in the back to see what I've got and what I need. Not being able to get out, I'll have to rely on family to bring me what I'm missing, namely potting soil and seeds. Who knows? I might even have some seeds stashed under there as well - you never know what I might be holding on to "just in case I need it in the future." I can also get some seeds by saving those I find in fruits, like apples, or the tops of carrots, or even a potato. I may not be able to grown root veggies in a pot. but that doesn't rule out being able to enjoy the green and flowery tops. Anything that grows is a plant worthy of appreciation.
There is something about planting a seed and watching it grow, nurturing it along like a mother hen clucking over her chicks (or an eagle ... my Decorah Eagle mom just welcomed chick #2!). We water, we mist, we help it follow the light and wait with anticipation for those first tiny green shoots to appear. When they do finally poke their little heads through the soil, it's like Christmas morning! We did this! We helped something new come into the world. We were a participant in nature instead of just a bystander. We proved that life goes on no matter what.
I can't think of a better time to start some indoor seeds. Even if you don't have a garden, you can grow something in a container. It can be a butter container, or a cut off milk carton, or an old dish or cup you were going to toss away. All you need is dirt, a seed or a cutting of something, water, light, and hope. You will have hits and misses for sure, just like in life, but eventually something will start growing and then you can officially call yourself a gardener or, as I like to think of it, Mother Nature's Helper ... I should get that printed on a T-shirt!
And so it is.
