Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Where’d You Grow Wednesday?

I grew with sunshine…

I’ve had my fair share of both, and I’ve made a concrete decision…sunshine grows me better than rain!

The sun has been the lead story over the past few days here in Minnesota. The parks are packed with people, the walking paths littered with winter-weary folks who have forgotten how to behave in outside public spaces. Spontaneity has returned and I am feeling a change in my relationship with the sun.

It reminds me of sunflowers.

The woodpile on the side of my childhood home was the birth place of my first and only garden. When sunflowers started to grow there, I was fascinated by the way they bent and turned toward the light.  They lined the small space along the house wall and I watched them grow taller than me. They became a silent audience during my quiet times out on the basketball court, and I loved those sunflowers. Eventually they stopped turning with the movement of the sun, and instead sat stoically poised to catch the rays of dawn.

For much of my life I have bent and strained to chase the sun as it moves predictably from one horizon to another.

Now…I believe in the sun’s predictability. I too have started to mimic the mature sunflowers and I’m learning patience as I simply wait for the sun to arrive. It always does.

I need that sun…those positive people…the friendships and conversations that have warmly enveloped me the last few days. They help to keep my petals full and vibrant.

Spontaneous walks around the thawing lake…invitations to warm groups of women…social gatherings around good food and good wine…a coffee date for a growing friendship…teaching basketball to our oldest…enjoying craft time with our girls. These are my raybeams….and I’ve grown in a lovely way this week.

Sunflowers need full sun to grow…and so do I.

If you have a growing story, a link, a photo, or a video, I’d love for you to share it with me. I am inspired by how others grow too. Contact me on email:  choosingtogrow@meaganfrank.com or leave me a comment here.

Happy Growing!

Copyright 2012   Choosing to Grow                                                                          Meagan Frank