Passing the baton to the next runner is a critical part of any relay race, whether in track and field or in every day life. No one person can have it all, do it all, be it all, say it all, or know it all. "All" requires more than one; indeed, it encompasses many ones, in an ongoing process of continuity.
Preparation for life's relay is the major point of all reproduction, of renewal, although the process itself, is not nearly as important as the final, yet, ever-evolving, product. Reproduction, then, is essential to passing the baton of life along, although, it, alone is insufficient by itself. More is required.
The life that life produced must still be nurtured, protected, sustained, and trained. If not, that new life will "go to seed," meaning that it will lose its power, potency, being unfit and unworthy. Better to be plowed under.
I learned that expression "go to seed" from my late father, whose father was a farmer and landowner in his early life, in Mississippi, where he grew up. They raised crops as well as livestock on our family's land, which Daddy closely observed. He drew many insights and aphorisms that he later passed along to family and others.
To die without bearing good fruit, in human terms, is to fail miserably as parents and providers for offspring. Part of that process is the child's nurture, protection, education and training, as an ongoing transmission.
It is never too early to start. Nor is there ever a reason to stop. Learning, loving, teaching, nurturing must be forever ongoing in life's relay race, whether parent to child or vice-versa.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
GONE TO SEED
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"GONE TO SEED"
Passing the baton to the next runner is a critical part of any relay race, whether in track and field or in every day life. No one person can have it all, do it all, be it all, say it all, or know it all. "All" requires more than one; indeed, it encompasses many ones, in an ongoing process of continuity.
Preparation for life's relay is the major point of all reproduction, of renewal, although the process itself, is not nearly as important as the final, yet, ever-evolving, product. Reproduction, then, is essential to passing the baton of life along, although, it, alone is insufficient by itself. More is required.
The life that life produced must still be nurtured, protected, sustained, and trained. If not, that new life will "go to seed," meaning that it will lose its power, potency, being unfit and unworthy. Better to be plowed under.
I learned that expression "go to seed" from my late father, whose father was a farmer and landowner in his early life, in Mississippi, where he grew up. They raised crops as well as livestock on our family's land, which Daddy closely observed. He drew many insights and aphorisms that he later passed along to family and others.
To die without bearing good fruit, in human terms, is to fail miserably as parents and providers for offspring. Part of that process is the child's nurture, protection, education and training, as an ongoing transmission.
It is never too early to start. Nor is there ever a reason to stop. Learning, loving, teaching, nurturing must be forever ongoing in life's relay race, whether parent to child or vice-versa.
Passing the baton to the next runner is a critical part of any relay race, whether in track and field or in every day life. No one person can have it all, do it all, be it all, say it all, or know it all. "All" requires more than one; indeed, it encompasses many ones, in an ongoing process of continuity.
Preparation for life's relay is the major point of all reproduction, of renewal, although the process itself, is not nearly as important as the final, yet, ever-evolving, product. Reproduction, then, is essential to passing the baton of life along, although, it, alone is insufficient by itself. More is required.
The life that life produced must still be nurtured, protected, sustained, and trained. If not, that new life will "go to seed," meaning that it will lose its power, potency, being unfit and unworthy. Better to be plowed under.
I learned that expression "go to seed" from my late father, whose father was a farmer and landowner in his early life, in Mississippi, where he grew up. They raised crops as well as livestock on our family's land, which Daddy closely observed. He drew many insights and aphorisms that he later passed along to family and others.
To die without bearing good fruit, in human terms, is to fail miserably as parents and providers for offspring. Part of that process is the child's nurture, protection, education and training, as an ongoing transmission.
It is never too early to start. Nor is there ever a reason to stop. Learning, loving, teaching, nurturing must be forever ongoing in life's relay race, whether parent to child or vice-versa.