The Courage of the Seed
All the buried seeds crack open in the dark the instant they surrender to a process they can’t see. — Mark Nepo
Where do I see the courage of the seed?
Spring Flowers
Blooming is courageous. Flowers that bloom in the spring have strength and attitude. Tulips. Irises. Crocuses. Daffodils. Bluebonnets. Each spring they kiss Winter goodbye and simply bloom. If it is snowing, they still bloom. If the ground is frozen, they still bloom. If the dog keeps trying to dig up their bulbs, they still bloom. Whether planted alone or with others, they still bloom. That is their promise. Bloom. Whatever it takes. Bloom.
The Color Green
Much like flowers bloom a triumphant Call to Post of life in spring, the courage of the seed can be seen in the color green. It is true regardless of where I have lived (and I have lived all over the United States), green combines the blue of a cloudless sky, the yellow of a sunflower, and the brown of the wakening earth into a symphony that is only briefly heard. Green reminds me to sing even if I have been quiet for months during winter’s sleep. That is the courage of the color green.
Forgiveness and Grace
There is something forgiving and graceful about the courage of the seed. Seeds promise birth and grace. That no matter how sad, mean, hard, judgmental, or otherwise difficult we may have been, we can all choose love and light and hope and growth. Extending forgiveness and grace to ourselves and others can happen as surely as flowers bloom and daylight stretches her arms more widely than in winter.
Possibility
The courage of the seed is seen in possibility. Whether it is the trees that bloom, the wound that heals, or the huge bridge over which I train, everything is possible. There is an energy in spring that gives me the sass of an iris, the metal of the buildings being built in my neighborhood, and the energy of 100 sunrises. That is possibility. It dares me to hug the world and hold on tight. It beckons me to create that which has only lived in my imagination. It softly listens and cajoles me forward. That is the courage of the seed.
