Mind Body & Spirit

Late spring and early summer is a time for dreams. I am a gardener, and no one dreams like gardeners do this time of year! We spend hours looking in the garden center at plants and seed packets, planning September’s harvest, and then, filled with dreams, we plant rows of young flowers and vegetables. Will the garden grow? August will tell the tale. For now, it’s all about the dreaming, and the digging!

Children, when they are born, are also like the seeds of spring. They are full of possibility, promise, and hope, with a dash of parental fantasy thrown in for fun. Part of mindful parenting includes remembering to nurture their souls, to help them grow into resilient and strong individuals able to withstand the “slings and arrows” of daily life. Ironically, we strive for a human spirit equivalent of tenacious weeds rather than the fragility of hothouse flowers. As a gardener, I have to admire tough weeds that manage to grow despite all efforts to thwart them. They are resilient and strong, just like people who have endured adversity with grace.

This year, put some mindfulness in your spring planting. Even if you’re not a dirt-loving, grubby fingernails gardener like me, planting something simple with your child, and watching it grow, can be a magical experience for both of you. Experienced gardeners can always add a new twist in their routine.

Grab your seeds, potting mix, and watering can. Find a sunny spot in your garden where your seedlings can grow and thrive until they mature. Bring your child along or, if you don’t have a child, borrow one! Together, talk about the miracle that is the seed. Explain what the seed needs to grow. Harness your child’s imagination, and have her talk to the seed, promising it the care it needs. Let your child hold it in his hand, and imagine the seed growing strong in the summer sunshine. Place it carefully into the soil. Cover it. Water it. Now, bless it.

When I garden with my daughter, blessing the seed is a normal part of the process. We pat the soil firmly in place, and whisper a simple, “Bless you and grow!” to our seeds. This simple act connects us to the mystery and miracle that is life. It reminds us that, ultimately, we are not in control of the process. We can water our seedlings and shelter them from the worst storms but, in the end, growth is their doing alone.

So it is with our children. We love them, nurture them, shelter them just a little, feed them, and stand in amazement as they grow before our eyes. In the presence of such wonders, what can we do? Hold onto the moment, hug them tight and whisper, “Bless you and grow.”