Seedlings

When I was in 1st grade, I put a seed inside a wet paper towel. Each day I would check the seed to see if anything happened. For days I saw no changes. But then, one day, I saw the seed split. As the next few days passed, more and more changes occurred. It was magical. I was seeing life bloom day by day, right in front of me.

I feel the same sense of awe working with our young people. Each week, I see young human beings blossom. It’s beautiful. More than ever, I see God at work in the world. I see God in wily middle school boys. I see God in the giggles of middle school girls. I see God in colorful imaginations, kind words, burning questions, and puppy-like exuberance. I see God when an awkward student becomes a graceful young man or woman. I see God reflecting back in hope-filled eyes.

I shared this with some high school students recently, but I think it’s great advice for everyone. If you want to be happy, if you want to experience wonder, become interested in other people. It’s easy to be focused on yourself when you spend all your time in one body. You are one person, after all. But we were definitely not designed to be alone. When was the last time you let yourself feel authentic curiosity about another human being? This is not a rhetorical question. Life is all around us.

But like a seed, you need to stand still long enough to see it sprout.