Dirty finger nails, growth, Mum; evolving in moments of gratitude to help define my passions in life. In an effort to bounteously share my realizations this week, journey with me to elementary school lessons about the Plant Life Cycle.
Seed:
I visited my grandmother, Mum. Yes, my Dad's side of the family takes great pride in their heritage (don't get them started about Lord "Uncle" Nelson unless you want a full English history lesson). Basking in sunny California's weather, we spent our day gardening over casual conversation on how we would like to grow ourselves. I began labeling cups with the appropriate seed names and personal goals. Mum scoffed at the idea initially knowing nothing can be simple and mundane when it comes to my ideas. Attitudes morphed into enthusiasm as we approached our seventh cup. In deciding our dual goal, Mum said in a sweet "I'll-bake-you-cookies" grandmother kind of voice, "Thrive in our relationship." Out of the seven, I have the utmost confidence our shared cup of seeds will thrive the most.
Seedling:
Our gardening inspired Mum to reminisce in her family's WWII Victory Garden. These gardens "were planted by families in the U.S. to help prevent a food shortage" (To learn more about Victory Gardens please click here). Mum's initial recollection was vague but connecting with more family members helped fade haziness into wonderful memories. Mum and her sister, Kathleen, candidly griped over what food they actually grew (still unsure), who pulled the most weeds and carried heavier amounts of water. Once sibling bickering subsided, they agreed "All of the things [they] love most on this Earth are things [they] learned from [their] dad."
Cheers to you Grandpa Thomas Bowen.
Mature Plant:
Giggling through pastimes, Mum and Aunt Kathleen told me how their dad loved to garden with his bare hands as a snail's worst enemy while defending his reasoning of no sprinkler system with the amount of children he had; better known as free labor. He taught his daughters and son through caring and working hard you will grow to be a better person. I imagine the joy he felt in watching his family garden is comparable to the pride my Mum experienced in gardening with me. Gathered by his legacy, we were all inspired over this sustainable life lesson.
Flower:
Our seeds are growing in Mum's beautifully sunlit kitchen while we carry our goals everywhere. My planted goal to embrace vulnerability, Mum's to embrace positive thinking, combined we strive to thrive in our relationship. I remembered the importance of nourishment as I braided my Mum's hair while she laid sick in the hospital. Weaving her hair, we accepted the challenge to stay strong, wiggle our roots and continue to grow. A skill I learned from Mum as a little girl, I tightly knit a beautiful braid while encouraging her to push through her pain with positive thoughts. Supporting one another, we watered each other's goals.
Back to Seed:
Embellishing in this cosmic state of openness, new pedals began to open as our relationship blossomed more. Our feelings shared in hospital room 409 stand as a perfect example of shared vulnerability transpiring into relationship growth. Having patience to reflect allowed us to remember where our seed was planted, who cared for us, how our roots came to be, and why we are still growing. WWII Victory Gardens to 2014 So Cal planting to nurturing each other in the hospital -- we were reminded of our connectedness through the continuum of generations. Seed, seedling, mature plant, flower, seed -- Plant LIFE Cycle.
We all strive to discover what we love and hope to channel it in our careers. Finding our passion in life to better guide us to fulfillment in and out of work is remembering who, where, when and how we learn to grow.
Grow with your passions,
BreAnn
-- A more detailed introduction is soon to come. I am an active member inspired byI DO WHAT I LOVE's movement. I strive to create new experiences that transpire into memorable life lessons guiding me towards my many passions in life. I will try anything as long as my feet are warm. I am sharing my journey of self-discovery and hopeful to inspire others to find theirs as well. Contact me directly at BreAnn@idwil.com. --