"Root hairs are cells. They take water to the main root. Then the main root brings the water to the main plant. The roots also help hold the plant in the ground."
My fourth-grader was sharing her school-day with me
as we drove into town.
"Mom, do you know what a 'terrarium' is?"
I nodded, "Yes, I do."
"We were growing terrariums, but today, we emptied them to make aquariums.Mine had long white roots all tangled up inside on the bottom. It was kinda cool. I got to rip them out, and the roots were tight together. But Emily's roots weren't. She only had one long one! It's 'cuz she watered hers too much, Mrs. Rowe said."
That image really got my thinker thinking.
Roots.
The ones that didn't have to reach or search for water,
didn't grow.
The ones that did,
grew long and strong.
I talk about my "roots" all the time--
the place I was born and raised,
my family,
my education,
my spiritual beginnings
and on and on.
I have many roots in many different areas of life
and I am yet trying to grow more
in other areas.
I want my roots to be long and tangled
and reach to the bottom of my soul.
My roots anchor me.
I believe I have roots that have developed
because of the trials and challenges I've dealt with
through the course of my life.
Roots that grew deep and strong
because I had to dig deep in search for answers,
and water (comfort) was not always to be found on the surface.
Don't you think this could be the cause for deep roots?
We grow the strongest when we face our challenges--
it is in the process of dealing with them
that we grow, we mature, we lengthen and stretch,
we dig deep down and find ourselves mingling with others
who are doing the same thing...
and we become intertwined in purpose--
our family, our friends, our close associates.
I know people,
not many,
but some,
whose lives are quite easy--
they don't have much to worry about,
life is relatively predictable and secure.
Their parents or other family members
step in and save them from real consequences.
They're kinda fragile personalities really.
I even know people who have mastered the art of
"running away" from their problems...
even daily living causes them to duck and take cover.
They're often hot-headed,
claim life is unfair at every turn
and expectations are often unmet
because they're unrealistic.
Maybe their roots are watered too much.
But the people I most admire
are the ones who have a story to tell.
A challenge they've faced that defines
their character.
Truly,
I learn most from those with
long, tangled roots
and sweet abiding testimonies.
-----
Dawn aka Momza, is the Mother of 7, Gramza to the Ninja Baby,
Midwife Asst./Doula, Home Stager, Writer, and Convert to the LDS faith. She lives in the Colorado Rockies and blogs about it all at Momza's House.
*image from http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/labs/plantanatomy.htm
