What seeds of hope am I actively planting and tending?

What seeds of hope am I actively planting and tending?

I have always enjoyed planting zinnias and I like the giant ones that grow from 3 to 5 feet high. When they are in full bloom, they make me think of smiling faces and I patiently wait for them to bloom each year. Right now they are turning to seed which I patiently gather each fall and store where the seed will remain dry for next years flower bed. They are annuals so they die. The generous amount of seed they produce affords a larger bed each year but it must be gathered and kept viable for spring planting. I hope to be able to plant them in the spring but if I cannot, my son will take the seed and plant it on the hill that faces the busy rural roadway that runs past his house. That location will allow them to cover the hill with their bright colors and smiling faces hopefully bringing joy to those who pass by.

You might wonder why I’m sharing this when today’s question is: “ What seeds of hope am I actively planting and tending?” The term “seeds of hope” grabbed my attention. For many years, hope was a four-letter word for me and that was not meant to be a compliment. You see, I had so many hopes shattered that I was a lost puppy sitting in the middle of the road. Or in OT biblical terms, I was a child lost in the desert. I no longer knew how to collect or plant positive seeds in my psyche. The word hope had been erased from my vocabulary probably because I didn’t know the difference between hope and hope(s). I still allow my EGO to confuse them from time to time so when I’m asked if I’m actively planting and tending seeds of hope, I remind myself that the biggest and most important garden I must tend is the one that is located in my head. And I can answer “Yes, I am planting, watering and nurturing the seeds of hope in my psyche.” I’ve learned that to do that successfully, I need to remember the “faith, hope and charity” trio. I can’t truly have hope without faith (trust) and charity (love) in both my head and heart. I need all three for life giving seeds to come to blossom and/or fruition. And it is sites like gratefulness.org and the folks who gather here that help me keep planting and tending those seeds, turning them from annuals into perennials.