Sunday, April 26, 2009

topsy turvey

I’ve been seeing ads lately for a “topsy turvey tomato grower”. It is an interesting concept. The tomatoes grow down from a planter. In a home growing teens, our world is often topsy turvey. It can be daunting seeing the kids grow in unusual ways. It causes worry and concern when things don’t seem to be happening as they “should”. It can be unnerving when seeing other kids around not appearing to go through some of these topsy turvey situations.

But as the topsy turvey tomato grower claims to cause the tomatoes to grow better, more full, a topsy turvey adolesence can add some fullness and strength to a teen’s life. When I see the struggles my son is going through in this time, I can only wonder what the Master Gardener has planned for him. Just how full and strong will he be as he bears fruit in his life?

Although it hurts, I know in my mind that a little topsy turvey is important to face and overcome.

Posted by sowingseeds at 02:36:16 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Monday, November 24, 2008

tendril

tendril-The twisting, clinging, slender growth on many vines, which allows the plant to attach themselves to a support or trellis.

As kids grow, they naturally pull away from their family. But when tough times come, parents may see the small tendrils their children still have clinging to the support they have known at home. It is amazing the storms and trials kids go through these days, but having a support at home helps them to remain stable and strong while they are still developing. If kids can keep those tendrils in tact, they can continue to feel the support offered by their family well into their maturing years. The support can help them stay grounded when the storms and winds of life blow. They may not be as attached as they once were, but those tendrils back to home will provide enough support to the growing child that they can make it through.

Posted by sowingseeds at 20:31:55 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Umbel

UMBEL — A part of the plant bearing flowers in which all the flower stalks are of similar length and arise from the same point.

I’ve not really heard this term before, but it makes me think of my teenaged child. I just told him yesterday how much I want him to be different from everyone else. Having these similar tendancies and acting and looking like all those around him is not something I desire as a parent. I do not mean that he has to go out of his way to be a freakish sort of kid, but that when it comes to standing for things that are right or being the one who can take the lead, I do want him to stand out.  It seems that when kids, and particularly teens, are grouped together, we get the idea of them all growing from one point and they all start to look pretty similar.

It seems that many parents do want better for their children. They would like for their kids to be the ones who shine, who stand out. It seems hard to fight against the feeling of “umbel” when our kids are so focused on their peers and not wanting to be too very different from them. I hope this is one facet that will be outgrown sooner than later.

But…

perhaps I can look at it from a different angle. Maybe the children do all arise from one point in their growth process. They start off on the same plane and then each will develop into his/her own direction. Maybe if I step back and re-focus my outlook, I will see that the growth will stem from a similar point as others around my children, but they will each take off and mature into the plant they were meant to be…

Posted by sowingseeds at 19:30:48 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

More Observations from the Ginger Lily

I was thrilled to walk out and find three ginger lily blooms today. They are so pretty and so unusual (unique). I had forgotten how they tend to “hide” beneath the large leaves. It reminded me again of raising children, especially through the teenage years. As I have not gotten one through that era yet, I am still learning how to navigate through those waters, but I see so many analogies to growing plants.

We can often wonder if our kids have any of the “sweet little child” they once used to exhibit daily. But just like the ginger lily, we can see glimpses of their unique charm and beauty, even if it tends to “hide” itself these days.

 

 

ginger lily x3

Posted by sowingseeds at 01:13:20 | Permalink | Comments (1) »