IT IS ALL THERE

WITHIN

Two years ago, while planning a milestone anniversary celebration and recovering from vertigo, I became fascinated with corn…not as cereal, polenta, or tortilla chips. My fascination lies in how corn grows and reproduces.

Corn leaves grow from nodes located on alternating sides of the stalk. Tassels (male) and ears (female) with silks make up the reproductive process. Pollen falls from the tassels to the silks, and the process of kernel production begins. The plant requires warm days and nights of a certain length to flower. A singe kernel, although a single cob may contain eight hundred or more, and the stalk have everything needed to reproduce within itself. No tassels – no corn. No budding ears – no corn.

A gift of seeds including corn from my niece this summer turned my creative wheels. I was already looking for a plant to provide height to accessorize the planters around the yard. “Plant the kernels. See what happens,” I thought. The soil and environment must have been pleasing to the seeds. They sprouted immediately. I wanted and received visual height, and a bonus, tassels but no ears and silks. I was okay with that outcome.

Rumi is reported to have spoken these words, “There is a passion in me that doesn’t long for anything from another human.” I can imagine a kernel of corn saying the same thing.

Our passion driven purposes don’t long for anything from another human. The longing to fulfill the passion must be inwardly driven. My purpose is my kernel.  In the right soil, (sometimes disguised in disaster, disappointment, and failure), my kernel sprouts, grows, and produces.

What a passion driven purpose might desire from others, but not required, is nourishment and encouragement. A willingness to be repeatedly resurrected, trust in and grace toward self and self-encouragement are required. When one or more of these are absent, a good dose of introspection might provide insight. Insight may be the push to seek coaching or encouragement. Remember corn requires warm nights and days of a certain length to bloom and fertilizer helps too.

The subject matter shared in this space rises organically. The cornstalk metaphor that began two years ago was first written about in a poem. The front yard cornstalks concretized the message. My passion driven purpose, seeking life lessons in the ordinary, was coded in me at conception. Years of experience coupled with a conducive environment produced bloom and fruit.

On the morning that I finished pondering corn, I walked to the front yard and there in plain view were the first ears of corn with red silk protruding. A bit of wind stirred, and I knew pollen would be blowing. Corn is coming. The squirrels and the girls next door can’t wait to feast.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

PONDER THIS THOUGHT---Knowing your purpose and knowing your time are the not the same.

TASSLE AND EARS STALK GROWING