TWO FORCES OF NATURE

Here she is - my sweet girl. M is 18 - a recent high school graduate. She is a force to be reckoned with - just like my garden. The summer before the daughter goes to college is proving to be filled with excitement, tension, frustration, memories, love, confusion, sadness, and laughter. I guess it is to be expected. She is annoyed with me. Today for example, I said, "Hey M, what are you going to do today?" Her response, "WHY DO YOU NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING I DO AT EVERY MOMENT? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO ASK SO MANY QUESTIONS!" I smiled and shut her door and went on with my day. When I got home from work she was in the exact same position on her bed peering into her computer screen. I opened the door to her room and asked if she had moved at all today. I thought it was kind of funny - she didn't.

Tonight at dinner we went over our highs and lows for the day. J told a funny story about one of his young students who put an orange construction cone on his head and sad down in the yoga position. When J asked what he was doing the five-year-old responded, "I'm hesitating." I love that J is sharing his teacher stories. It is a gift of teaching to be a witness to these precious life stories. M was bored with highs and lows and came up with nothing.

I started my first ever vegetable garden this year. I planted my garden in May with hopes of an organic vegetarian life style for the summer. Well a few hours after I transplanted the carefully seed-grown heirloom tomato plants from indoors to out, a hail storm came through and crushed the poor tender plants. One survived. I planted the lettuce from seed and have enjoyed several salads. My dad had to give me two of his miracle grow - highly fertilized tomato plants to replace mine. I guess that's okay. Since I have one plant that survived and two that he has given me, I can compare and see what happens.

I have been meeting with S - a new work friend to do some teacher stuff this summer. She takes a picture a day. I love the idea. Writing feels easier when you have a purpose - a picture, a moment to remember.

What would your picture be for today?