How Seeds Get Planted

As a Creativity Life Coach, I often have the opportunity to assist my clients to "plant seeds".  These "seeds" are bits of ideas that when focused on and tended to, grow into something pretty wonderful for them.  I like this idea of "planting seeds".  I think we do this all the time with or without knowledge that that is what we are doing.
This week, as I was working on the project of the week, I was thinking about perhaps the first time I experienced how creating something can shift a person's mood to the positive.
I grew up in what I can only call an overly creative and dramatic household.  Both of my parents, may they rest in peace, were creative and sometimes that creativity was used to create drama and lots of it.  My mother longed to be a "normal" housewife and mother of the post WWII era.  This really wasn't in her wiring, and it was something that cause a lot of conflict in her for I think most of her life.  She did the best she could to come to terms with this conflict. Most of the time she wasn't too successful in her struggle, but when she was, she was a superstar.  I say all this as a preface to my story. At one point in her life, my mother decided to be a Bluebird leader. Bluebirds were the not ready to be a real Campfire Girl sub-group for 6 and 7 year olds.  At the time, I thought it was cool for my mother to be the leader, mainly because for a couple of hours once a week there were at least 15 girls my age at my house. Over the years I use to think. "Why did she do that?"  Now I know, it was my mother's way of creating something for herself.  We would do some pretty amazing craft projects each week.  I really don't remember my mother being more in her element than at the Bluebird meetings each week.  For her, it was a rare Superstar moment in her life.

This was never more apparent than the day President John F. Kennedy was shot.  For kids of my generation, that was a critical shocking day.  It was also the afternoon of a Bluebird meeting.  My mother loved JFK.  I could see the look of shock and sadness on her face as I walked into the house with some of my fellow Bluebirds.  At seven years old we didn't really fully understand what had happened.  Some of us didn't even know what had happened.  My mother bravely turned off the TV and wiped her eyes.  She announced to the group that we would be celebrating Fall today, by collecting leaves and putting them into a project.  It was November and there were tons of leaves to be found.  We then put them on wax paper with colored crayons and melted them with an iron.  The effects were like a stain glass window with nature.  My mother was the strongest and the most focused I ever remember. She even was laughing and smiling at the end of the meeting.  I didn't have many of these days or moments with my mother as I was growing up, yet I think that day a seed was planted and it's growing strong in the present in my life.  I witnessed my mother use her creativity to shift her mood, and all of our moods to one of a celebration of Fall..more importantly life. I realize,  I've been doing this all my life. Now I'm encouraging others to do the same.


These were difficult to get a photo on as they are best seen with light behind them.


In creating this week's project...I'm celebrating Fall and appreciation for all the wonderful people I have in my life.  I celebrated a great birthday a couple of weeks ago with the help of so many wonderful friends.
I collected leaves and used old crayons and melted them in wax paper.  Taking it one step further, I created a thank you card.  Inserted a note. Put them in the mail, without postage, but that's another story for another time. As they come back to me...I'm resending them.  I guess that's a what is called a senior moment. Sigh.

We all "plant seeds" everyday of our lives.  Can you think back to a time when you think someone "planted a seed" and it is growing for your good?  When was the last time you feel you "planted a seed" for your good or the good of others?
Until next week...create to feel great!  Plant a seed and watch it grow into something wonderful!
2 projects complete! 50 to go!