Something of Value

April 2013

Years ago, I went to a women's retreat.  We were supposed to bring something that people could look at that would tell them something about us.  They were to be put into something without our name on them and the person who chose your item was supposed to guess who it belonged to. I was into gardening that summer, so I brought an envelope with a tomato seed in it.

The sweet lady who picked my item looked at it.  Felt it.  Opened it.  And kept saying "there's nothing here!  this is nothing!".  Finally, I told her it was mine.  And that this was what people had said about me often in my life - often enough that I started saying it, too.  There is nothing there!  This is nothing! This is EMPTY!

Then I said, but if you look carefully inside, you will find something that, given the right amount of nurturing, will grow to feed others.  My tomato seed. I also remember thinking that I was glad I didn't put an oregano seed inside, which looks like powder.

So, now, I try to remember that another person's value may not be readily apparent.  But it is there.  And given enough time, nurturing and grace it may grow to feed others.  And that nurturing and grace may need to come from me. You never know where your life my show.