"Thought I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders."
Henry David Thoreau
When I had a large, outdoor garden, this time of year was like Mother Nature's Christmas. Every day new seed catalogs would appear in my mailbox and, after pouring over their pages, padded envelopes containing packets of seeds would appear not too long afterwards. I researched what would tolerate our upstate New York 5B growing zone, then order what I reasonably expected to grow as well as a few experimental or ornamental items. I am proud to say that I had a very successful few years growing vegetables, herbs, and some flowers, but others, like roses, continued to elude me. Then, of course, there was the endless battle with the critters who tunneled underground and appeared just in time to raid my sunflowers. I learned to accept that all God's creatures deserved to live and eat as much as I did, and that sharing my garden with them was a gift, not a problem to be eradicated.
When I moved into more urban apartment living and took up container gardening, the types of catalogs that appeared in my mailbox changed, but not the enthusiasm. During the years I lived in an apartment with a large, screened-in porch, I was able to grow lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, and an assortment of flowers. When I downsized even more to where I am now, I had to give up the lettuce and tomatoes for the present, but my herbs and certain flowers are doing well. My bamboo plant has turned into a 5 foot tree, I have a big bag of basil and one of mint in my freezer for cooking, and my begonias continue to bloom under a grow light. Hmm, maybe this year I'll give those hanging cherry tomatoes and windowsill pots of lettuce a try!
The same way that I have faith in a seed, I have faith in the seeds of our intentions as we start off 2023. I believe if we plant a seed to grow a new habit, pursue a new interest, or follow our dreams, and if we give it plenty of attention, focus, and love, I will "expect wonders." Just like trying out a new seed, however, it takes patience and practice before we produce positive results. "Rome wasn't built in a day," as the saying goes. Neither does a planter full of tomatoes, a 5 foot bamboo plant, or a dream. Day by day, step by step, we water, we weed, we feed, and we pray. It it's meant to grow where it's planted, it will.
So, what seeds are you planting this year?
And so it is.
