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So, The Thing Is... We Reap What We Sow
Barbara Cooper
So, the thing is… we reap what we sow.
A few weeks ago, my daughters and I planted some seeds. It was a fun project to do together because it involved digging in the dirt and talking about how plants grow, plus the sun was warm on our faces. It was a perfect day. I wouldn’t have been very surprised if the seeds hadn’t sprouted at all, since projects like this one make Jane very enthusiastic, and you’d think seeds are more fragile than her handling would indicate. Not to mention that I’d had those packets of seeds in my desk drawer for almost two years-- that’s probably not good for seeds either. But when we were finished, we had forty-eight little containers of potting soil and hope, and a very nice memory of a warm day.
Of course, I spent the next three weeks muttering under my breath as I carried all those darn containers in and out of the house since we aren’t past the freezing weather. But then, about a week ago, we noticed that our little seeds had sprouted the tiniest and most fragile plants. It seemed miraculous to the kids, and frankly, to me, too. It’s oddly comforting to think that if we plant seeds in good soil and we protect them from the cold and we make sure they have lots of sunlight, most of them will sprout. In the midst of all the uncertainty in the world, it’s a nice reminder of growth and renewal.
So then, still taking advantage of some lovely weather, the girls and I went to feed the ducks at the large public park near our house. Afterward, we decided to walk across these big soccer fields to see an arrangement of large stones that sometimes serves as an amphitheater.
Well, Ana took off running. I let her go for a bit because I know how good it feels to run full-out across a big space. Jane couldnt keep up, though, and in no time Ana was too far ahead of us and would not listen to my calls. Soon she was climbing up those big rocks. There was a man with a big dog running loose and the dog pinned Ana in a crevice – he didn’t bite her but it
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