Life

This is the 11^th entry in my This I Believe series.

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I believe in life in many ways, but lately, it has been in figurative rebirth.

While lately I’ve been mired in my own work both at school and at home, I see subtle signs of rebirth all around me, especially as I gaze longingly out of the window.

*My lilac bushes that Ben and I planted when I was very pregnant are going to be the first fresh burst of green leaves this year.

*A pair of finches have been scoping out last year’s nest, looking for a suitable place to guard this year’s batch of babies.

*Weeds are already becoming a nuisance.

What a perfect time of year to write about LIFE because it rushes at us everywhere we look right now. Every day seems to have its own reminder that yes, God’s creation is one of LIFE—pure, simple, love.

This year, I find myself actually itching to grow something, which has never been much of a hobby of mine, mostly because since I’ve moved out of my parents’ house, I’ve never had the means to really grow anything of consequence. But I’ve realized that my burgeoning interest in growing things rather corresponds with my new role of mother. (By the way…this still seems new to me. She’s nearly 2, and it still hasn’t really sunk in, I don’t think!) But this makes perfect sense to me; surely the same endorphins and chemicals that control our mothering instincts also correlate with the desire to grow other things. Essentially, isn’t it all cultivation in some manner?

I believe that you need to be aware of the resources around you in order to cultivate life to the best of your ability. To that end, I have about 50 peat pots cuddled together on a sunny patch of floor in my classroom because that is the resource that I have to meet my needs. I believe that we shortchange ourselves when we only recognize the easy route—Taco Bell and Monster energy drinks.

Regardless of whether the life is wanted or not (e.g. those never ending thistles), I truly believe that it is much more tenacious than tenuous. And that’s good! We can live in a world that we know will rebound, rebuild through dormancy, and re-emerge in some glorious capacity. How truly awe-some!