A new year and a new chance to start afresh.
Imagine having the chance to plant yourself and watch yourself grow. We do not tend to
give too much thought to our own growth and development. But we are like plants, a
reflection of nature at work. We also have life cycles, seasons and times of great harvest and
times of hibernation. Like seeds, we all have the potential to grow into our own authentic
selves.
For me creating seed packets with my original art was an attempt to create a seed packet
that was more than just a shiny generic packet on a nursery shelf. Often seed packets are
paper coated in plastic that has been bleached and printed with toxic ink that has the
potential to kill many life forms once the package is discarded and thrown away.
The seeds themselves are often genetically modified by seed manufacturers who have spent
decades in laboratories trying to perfect their seeds to produce a so-called “perfect”
harvest.
But what they have also done is destroy many brilliant and diverse crops that once thrived
on the earth, reducing our plants to only those deemed to be acceptable.
In supermarkets, the vegetables that are not seen as perfect are thrown away or given to
food refuse. We , the consumers, have been fooled into thinking that all fresh produce has
to look a certain way.
The irony is that we do not apply these standards to ourselves – human beings. Imagine we
rejected all the people who do not fit into a perfect mould.
That is why seeds are more than just seeds, they are a direct link to the earth and all its
wonderful treasures and bounties.
Seeds are
proof that there is a magical energy in the universe. Seeds plus soil, water, love and sunshine – can create the food we eat or the flowers that feed and nourish the insects and bees. We are all part of a fascinating inter-dependent world where each plant and human has a purpose. A plant gives us the gift of food and then offers us the chance to save seeds and the ability to grow food once again. Many of us were given an opportunity to learn about seeds as children. We nurtured peas or beans in between layers of cotton wool and watched as the plants sprouted. Then we planted them and watched them grow. At the time we were amazed at how easy it was to nurture life, to watch nature at work. But as adults, we forget the magic of nature. This disconnect is part of what ails society today. We have forgotten that we are part of a greater system that supports us and feeds us. We cannot exist alone. Our communities are sick, and our world sicker. Our food chains are in the hands of a few. Our health has been put in the hands of scientists – we have forgotten how to use nature's remedies to cure ourselves. It may sound overly simplistic to say growing plants is one way to make society better. But in many community centres and even prisons, growing gardens is a way to nurture troubled souls. It reminds us at our core of the magic of the seeds, the process of nature, and the simple truth than what is nurtured – flourishes. This New Year see yourself as a seed and nurture yourself. Reap the bounty of your efforts
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