The "Greene" House

 

Every year my grandparents plant a huge garden full of many different fruits and vegetables. These seeds are planted with the intention to provide fresh food for our family, to share with friends, and allow others to gain a taste of some delicious produce while providing them with seeds to begin creating their own garden. During the spring and summer months a lot of sweat and time is devoted to the garden. The first step is to plant the seeds. Once this is accomplished, they spend many weeks ensuring that the seeds they've planted are nurtured in an atmosphere that will yield a healthy harvest.

It's that time of the year.

Summer break.

For some of us, summer is already here!

For others, sitting through a long graduation ceremony is the only event standing in your way.
In reflecting over my own high school graduation, I realize that most details were a blur. However, I do remember re-reading my graduation speech in my head 100+ times, posing for a never ending stream of photographs, wrapping my arms around my mother's neck as I received my diploma, and then getting plastered with silly string in celebration.  

For some members of my class, that was the last day our paths have crossed. I often wonder how life's circumstances have treated them and how they have spent the past few years. 

For others of my class, I have never once had to question where they are or what they are doing because I've been able to build on the memories that were established many years ago.

It's not until you grow and reach new heights that you are able to look back and fully appreciate those precious times. I suspect this delayed appreciation will continue to happen as we enter new stages of our journey and later understand the magnitude of the moments that once seemed insignificant. After discussion will a friend and former classmate, some of our greatest “delayed appreciations” involved subtle conversations where a coach or teacher expressed that they believed in us.

A seed was planted.

They believed in us and it allowed us to believe in ourselves.

 They invested in us, so that we could invest in others. 

According to Google, a greenhouse is a glass building in which plants are grown that need protection from cold weather. In the same way that my grandparents tend to their garden outside, the educators in the entire Greeneville City School system help students grow academically, professionally, and as individuals. As a teacher’s daughter and former student, I speak from a personal note when I say that the school system served as my Greene-House and gave me a place to grow even during the coldest of seasons.   

 For that, I am thankful. 

I've discovered that we aren't planted here to be the daisy, the tulip, or even the rose. This lesson has been revealed to me recently, however I regret not discovering this sooner.

 Complete fulfillment cannot be achieved by satisfying my personal wants or by obsessing on how others perceive you. This concept is often a struggle for me. Especially in a culture that constantly projects a false illusions that material gains and the perfect hairstyle will result in happiness.

A dainty, vibrant, perfectly flawless flower sitting gracefully in a vase for everyone to view.

Daily I find myself striving (and failing) to be the flower, only to realize that I'm completely missing the point.

You see, once the stem of the flower is cut the beauty remains for only a few days before wilting and becoming dead. 

It's purpose was solely for fragrance and appearance.

Don't misunderstand me. Looking and feeling pretty is part of our feminine nature that should be embraced. However we are meant for so much more!

We are called to be the cantaloupe, the tomato, the watermelon, and the squash. You and I are people of substance.

It's our job to continue to enrich the lives of others, to share wholesomeness, and to feed others the opportunity to grow.

We are the produce. 

With that comes a great privilege to share our seeds with others.  

Seeds of encouragement and seeds of hope. 

jpr