Garden Inspirations

Plants are pretty amazing. Not only can they take carbon dioxide and use it productively, they also give me delicious oxygen for my breathing pleasure. Oh and on top of that, plants can photosynthesis. The most fantastic ability (according to me at least) is that they can make me feel productive with little effort or make me feel like a failure despite my best efforts.

A few weeks ago I moved my herb garden indoors to keep if safe from an impending frosty death. Within one week each plant save one measly parsley up and died on me, leaving me feeling like a terrible human being. Also, since it was an herb garden I was frustrated because I felt oh so domestic snipping bits of rosemary for my potatoes or basil for my chicken. Writing about the experience still makes my heart heavy. What more could I have done?

Yesterday I decided that I needed plants of some kind so I can make it through the wintry month in Cache Valley with some source of clean air. Herb gardens are near impossible to come by unless it's early spring here, so I settled for the office plant section at Lowe's. Again I was surprised with the joy I felt as I gently re-potted the plants and watered them, willing them to live inside and flourish. These are not the same plants as before, but I am already gaining affection for them: the miniature roses that may just bring color to a dismal grey day, the Ficus that looks like a bonsai but hopefully isn't as fragile, and my favorite, the teenie tiny green and yellow cactus all prickly on the outside but full sweet water at its center. I need to think of some names for them. Things with names always live longer (at least, that is the hope I maintain for Matilda, the Buick who thinks her transmission is dying).

People say you should start your relationships with plants. Learn to take care of plants. Once you've accomplished that you can move on to a pet and finally, a real person. I think this is an unwise method. Let me expound. While it is true that plants take time and attention, they bear little resemblance to pets or people. Yes, you incrementally increase the attention needed to maintain the "relationship." Let's be honest though; society generally looks down on people who talk too much to their plants or pets. People, on the other hand, should communicate regularly. Added to that, plants don't ever get a chance to talk back (at least, my plants have never given me any verbal feedback), so having them teaches people to monologue instead of dialogue. Finally, once you realize how much it hurts to have a plant die, you are never going to consider a relationship with a real person! That's just setting yourself up for disaster.

No, we should definitely not base our ability to relate to people with our ability to relate to plants. I love plants. I love people. I don't like to think about my plants dying, but I still grow them. I may not be as skilled with plants as I am with people, but I keep trying. And, ready for the cheesy line? While plants may be a tasty garnish to a meal, people can fill my whole life with joy. On the other hand, plants do help me breathe better...guess both relationships matter for life.

I'll Take the Stairs, Thank You

I have begun counting how many stairs I go up and down during the course of my day. I reach 97 long before I make it to my office in the mornings and then I give up counting. Four flights later I finally reach my desk. Then, down two flights for any copies, printouts, or restroom breaks. I can only hope that my legs will become exceptionally buff this year. This morning, the walk seemed longer than usual to my first class. I was not the only one. I had one of my stellar students fall asleep for several minutes. I didn't wake him. I knew where he was coming from.

For the first time in my short teaching career, I changed a due date. My students said I was the greatest teacher ever for giving them an extra weekend to finish their papers. I wonder if I did it because I wanted that precise response or simply because I did not want to start grading yet another round of papers before I've finished the first. Either way, I have to figure out some brilliant plan for Friday's lesson now.

This week I have read several news articles that trouble me. One student was writing about how members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are cultists. Regardless of the writer's position, the article was poorly researched and had so many logical fallacies that it resembled Swiss cheese. Another was a statement supposedly from all homo sapiens saying that we are going to hold off on having children for a few years because it seems kind to the planet. Finally, there was an article that claimed pornography had some positive sides to it. I am not troubled because some think these things (it comes as no surprise). I am troubled because these ideas are becoming more common, and in places where I had previously assumed many agreed with my moral standard. Mostly, I am troubled because I wish I knew how to respond with my own view in a Christ like way, but respond nonetheless. All the academic knowledge in the world won't help someone to accept the Savior. But neither can I stand by quietly and let His doctrines by trampled underfoot so casually.

So I start a blog which no one yet reads. I wonder if I should even make it available to a wider audience because I don't want to make everything sacred to me a debate. What am I really saying today? That climbing the stairs is like following Christ. It hasn't gotten any easier yet. In fact, come some snow it will get a lot harder. I guess that sometimes the way up to where He is, is difficult. I make it worse by wearing high heels and forgetting my umbrella for the unavoidable thunderstorms. Even when I've gone up as far as I can, there's more work to be done. That work is important for me and for others, but it's still work. Maybe I just need to stop counting the stairs and enjoy the view I have as I try to climb a little higher.