More Life Candy Friday

My friend Marisol gave me a "bonsai pine" growing kit in a recent swap.  The kit comes with about ten seeds but I only planted two, not knowing how they might grow in the conditions I was starting with.  So after several weeks of waiting, one seed came up.  What a surprise!  I'm a very impatient gardener so anything that takes more than about two days to come up makes me think I'm a complete failure.  ha

So this pine seed came up and it still had the little seed hull stuck on it.  It's hard to resist the urge to pick that thing off but I left it alone.  And left it.  And left it.  And left it.  The thing took about four or five days to fall off!! 

The entire time I was thinking "I will not be there whenever this thing falls away."  So I watched it.  And took pictures.  And went about my daily life which involves... you know - everything in life.  Including parenting.  This seed hull made me think so much of parenting.  The kid is trying so hard to stretch away from you and you're trying so hard to keep them from growing too fast.  But you can't stop them.  And finally one day.... you have to let go.

Yesterday I knew the moment was near.  The seed hull would fall away some time when I wasn't there.  Then - late last night as I was cleaning up the kitchen and getting ready for bed - I saw that just part of the pine needles had come free.  I took a picture.  Surely the hull would fall off during the night.

Five minutes later as I finished up at the sink, I glanced up just as I saw the seed hull fall down to the dirt. 

Wow. 

I could not believe I was there.  What an awesome moment to witness in life and nature.

And I thought, Oh wow.  I hope that I am there and know the moment when my children break free from me rather than being too busy with my own life to notice.

The only problem with this picture is that now I cannot find the seed hull.  And I wonder if parenthood will leave me empty and I'll disappear into the soil once I'm through parenting.  I'll work on a happy illustration for that one, okay?  hehe  Isn't there a story where two seed hulls live happily ever after in their rocking chairs while the pine cone grandchildren come visit or something like that??  :)

Happy Friday!  Happy Weekend!  I'm BUSY with some things but I AM keeping up with the afghan mail.... I just need to do an update.  Hopefully I can get to that this afternoon - if not.... look for me on.... oh maybe Sunday? 

Take good care of every sweet little thing.  :)   XOXOXOX

Comments

[trek]

Scrolling the pictures makes it almost like time lapse photography!

[Allegra]

What lovely pictures, I love to see the evolution of the plant!

[Allegra]

What lovely pictures, I love to see the evolution of the plant!

[Carole]

That's a wonderful story. I'm glad you saw the hull fall but I think it's trickier to catch that exact moment with kids. Ask me how I know. ;-)

[margene]

What a lovely set of pictures!

[Dave Daniels]

That's a nice little tree. Did you grown any of those big sunflowers again this year with the red inside?

[elizabeth]

That is so sweet, and very fitting as my son starts sixth grade next week. New school (building), new itinerary with changing classrooms every hour, it's sure to be a year of new challenges and hopefully, new growth! Have a great weekend, girl!

[Kim]

Wow, the needles made a shape like a lamp or lantern - so beautiful. I also started seedlings recently, but was not fortunate enough to see the hull fall off.

[Tracy]

Oh Laura, that left me all teary. What a beautiful, wonderful story and a perfect analogy.

[KT]

Boy-do I love you! Have a great day.

[Wool Winder]

It may seem sad to you today to imagine your kids grown and on their own, but when the time comes there is a satisfaction in knowing that you have prepared them well and your job is done. When the hull falls, focus on the beautiful plant that has emerged instead.

[Miss Scarlett]

beautifully symbolic pics and post!

[joni]

Those were incredible pictures, and great thoughts...