“Though I do not believe 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, Faith in a Seed
It’s April in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. The lingering snow clings tightly to the riverbank. Many lakes still covered with ice. It is a slow crawl to spring.
But Little Red and I can’t wait a minute longer to begin 30 years on the water together. I was so blessed that 10 of my friends bought me this kayak for my 40th birthday. I think they were getting tired of hearing me say how much I wanted to try kayaking, so this gift would finally keep me quiet! Great friends!
Today, as I paddle and reflect on these years, I could have never imagined the fun, crazy adventures we would share with other paddlers, and the restorative benefits I would receive in the quiet spaces of solo paddling.
After going through a period in my life of intense grief, I found healing on my solo paddles. My heart was broken wide-open and this huge crack allowed the seeds of renewal to be planted in its deep, dark crevices. Then one day, the seeds blossomed, and Little Red and I began to take others on the water – cancer survivors and their caregivers, grieving parents, women in 12-step recovery programs. An entire garden of healing bloomed, along with five books in the Reflections from the Red Kayak series written from the cockpit of Little Red. To say it has been a miraculous journey is an understatement.
Spring is the time of planting, of sowing new seeds for future growth. As I ponder these 30 years on the water, I contemplate the lasting blessings of all the seeds that were planted during that time. A bountiful harvest, most of which I will never see.
And now? What are the seeds to be sown on the next chapter of my journey? Let’s think about seeds for a moment.
A healthy seed produces bountiful growth. A seed for fruits and vegetables…food to nourish our bodies. A seed for trees, shrubs and flowers…beauty for our eyes to behold. A seed of understanding or hope…sustenance for our hearts and souls.
An unhealthy seed can also be sown, lacking the proper nutrients for fruits, vegetables, trees and other plant life to flourish. These offshoots will be weak and frail. A seed containing anger, jealousy, hatred or other bleak negative emotions, can harbor dark harmful consequences.
As I paddle near the barren shoreline, I think about the life of a seed. Tiny, as it begins its journey in darkness. Fragile, as it pushes its tiny sprout through the weight of the dirt. Alive, as its new shoot basks in the warmth of the sunlight and drinks in the moisture of the rain. Fulfilled, as it blossoms and shares its nourishing fruit with all of life.
Our seeds, too, germinate in stages. First, they begin in the safe garden of our thoughts. Then, they push through into sprouts of words, giving voice to that which grew within. Our words then come alive with action. And our actions manifest our seeds of thought into the world.
So I ask you, are we sowing wisely? What is the harvest we will leave behind by how we lived our lives?
I come to the opening of a small lake, where the Trumpeter swans swim gracefully on the slice of open water. I sit and watch them for a long while, gliding majestically with ease together, while their feet paddle quickly under water. Like the seeds, all the work is done below the surface. The swans represent peace, tranquility, unity and love. A stroke of luck with my camera catches them in a tender moment.
The swans remind me to mindfully sow positive seeds, seeds of love, joy, compassion, tenderness, kindness and understanding. Seeds that will thrive and flourish.
We do not know where our seeds will fall. They may settle on fertile ground or on rocky soil. The growing conditions may never be perfect. Our work is to tenderly prepare our own soil, so our seeds of goodness can sprout in any garden.
We may see the fruits of our plantings in a short time, or we may never see its blossoms. Properly sown, our seeds will sprout in magnificent ways, and it is our faith and trust that the seeds we are planting today, will bear nourishing fruit in their own time.
Let us have great faith in the seeds we sow. Let us be patient and diligent as we cultivate the delicate seeds of all that is good. Let us expect the lasting blessings in the miracle of a seed.
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What seeds are within you?
How do you prepare and tend to your soil on a daily basis, so its fertile ground can bear great fruit?
What one seed can you sow today with potential to grow into a blossom of goodness in your world?
Beautifully said, never thought of my life as a seed but now it is a great way to put things, people and places into perspective.
As we grow older (young at heart) life changes and you ignore the drama & negatively that comes with it!
This article was awesome and I enjoy every word of it! Never stop being YOU!
Andi Bo
NOTHING NEW YOU WILL ALWAYS BE THE GREAT Thank you for SEEDS..
Beautifully written! I love that you always give me reasons to think on my life and the “seeds” I may be leaving behind! I’m convinced I will never know the impact of all the “seeds” planted before me that helped to make me who I am today. I send thanks to all those who planted on my behalf.
Grateful to you, Mary Anne, for this insight and reflection. The seeds you plant here create food for thought. Love the idea of sprinkling seeds which create lasting beauty and to consider what it is I’m planting. Thank you.
This is a lovely, inspirational essay, Mar. Thank you.
Keep on paddlin’ and writin’,
Lu
As I am going through some personal health and family challenges I am truly blessed to have you as a friend as well as appreciate your writing skills. One seed at a time, let’s see what happens!
Malpede
Appreciated those thoughts Mar. Just finished a study of 1 Peter, who calls me to “do good” (plant seeds), even (and perhaps especially) in those tough times that stretch me by pain and loss. I found an echo in your essay!