You planted a seed today.

You probably planted quite a few.

Some will land in fertile soil, others may lay dormant for years and some will just never grow (have a look at my own peas).

Every day, every moment we ‘plant seeds’ through our words and our actions. These ‘seeds’ are hugely important (no matter the size) and we must remember to be very mindful of what we are ‘planting’ and why. In time, these seeds, and the seeds others have ‘planted’ have the potential to flourish, nurture and enhance lives, endlessly.

A wise mentor once talked with me about ‘planting seeds’. She reinforced her message and musings with a few other thoughts:

1. Seeds need time to grow. The messages and ideas we plant today will not appear tomorrow or next week.
2. The very same seed grows differently (or not at all) in different soil. Don’t expect all seeds to flourish, and they will often look different and grow at different rates.
3. As the seed flourishes, it takes on its own unique character, shape and pattern. A gardener knows that no two seeds grow into similar plants.

So, why this, now. Why, seeds?

This all started as I was watching and listening to our Year 1 students talking about their garden. Their wisdom and insight took me straight back to my mentor and her words that day. At the same time, Evan Overton in Year 6 showed me the book he had made on growing sunflowers. Yet again, he detailed the importance of timing, getting the right conditions, patience, process and beauty. Yet again, all key aspects to the seeds of love, kindness, empathy, hope, resilience, passion and joy we plant in our children.

In the same vein there are seeds that can be planted that also grow and flourish. Seeds of hate, bigotry, racism and ignorance. Listening to the Black Eyed Peas (still rolling on my pea theme) sing “Where is the Love” the past weekend (old school 2009 hit) reminded me, yet again, that our children and all children need to be surrounded by people who plant the seeds of positivity and hope; not hatred and negativity.

What is our call to action?

I believe the call is to teach our children to plant seeds. Real seeds. Real growth. In doing so we can have the conversation and create the visual and authentic link for them about the seeds they HAVE THE POWER to plant for others.

As we enter November today we start to reflect back on our themes in the Preparatory School this past year. Growth and Kindness. We have all planted ‘seeds’ of kindness through our words, actions and gestures. There are kindness rocks all around our campus, our state and, in fact, students have “planted” their kindness rocks around the world. Out t-shirts and messages have truly travelled across WA and our world, spreading the message and our growth in kindness.

It is a great time now to plant some real seeds, nourish them over the next few months, watch them grow and then have the conversation about the ‘seeds’ your son and daughter will and can ‘plant’ in 2018. And, of course, it is a great reminder for us of the type of seeds we plant, nourish and watch grow every day.

Happy planting.

Clark Wight
Head of Preparatory School

 
 
 

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