seeds

It was spring. Every household in the small town had a garden. Each planted their favorites: corn, squash, beans, tomatoes, okra, melon.

The day had been a hot one. Now it was cooling into evening, that special time of twilight when the birds began returning to their perches and nests and the bats began swooping after insects.

Folk had eaten their evening meal and were gathering in the plaza to hear Story Teller. He sat on a bench at the plaza's edge, facing the gurgling fountain at its center. Families brought chairs and mats and arranged themselves in comfortable positions to hear the night's story.

Story Teller stood.

"I want to talk tonight about seeds," he said.

"You may remember that the primary mission of  John the Baptist was to announce the arrival of Yeshua. John was an excellent story teller. People entranced themselves with his words. One of the things he said was, referring to Yeshua, 'He must increase while I must decrease.'

"These are the exact words of a seed. For a seed to bear fruit, it must follow the two 'musts.' The must of decrease and the must of increase.

"If the seed does not decrease, it will not increase.

"Yeshua spoke to the same point later. He said the seed, a kernel of wheat, had to fall into the ground and die. Otherwise it was worthless. No crop. No yield."

The people listening to Story Teller understood this well. Where was he going with this?

Story Teller said, "You are, we are, the seeds. We are planted here, in the Ground of Existence. Each of us is a singularity folded in on itself. As long as we stay self-absorbed, we will die, producing no fruit, just a rotted seed, worthless.

"Within us as seeds, however is a strong urge, an urge to open, to grow, to become firmly grounded while opening to all around us. We are nurtured by both the heavenly light of knowledge and understanding and by the manure and compost of earthly life.

"No two seeds are alike. Each produces a uniqueness when it blossoms and unfolds.

"Each os us seeds must listen to and honor our specific genetics. A wisdom exists within the seed that tells it how to grow, what it needs to grow. Some seeds need to send down deeper roots for nourishment and water. Others seem to do well on morning dew and sunlight.

"Every seed has its way of growing. What is important is that it not cling to itself but allow increase.

Story Teller stood silently for a few moments.

Then he said, "Everyone please stand up."

They moaned. They groaned. They stood.

"Open both of your hands. Now bring them down in front of you as if you are pressing something to the earth. Good! Now bring them up in front of you and stand with arms open to the sky. Excellent!

"You got it! Now repeat after me an old saying: 'Rooting and grounding in love.' Here we go!"

They began chanting in unison: Rooting and grounding in love.

"Okay!" exclaimed Story Teller. Giggling and laughter calmed into an expectant silence.

"Now," said Story Teller. "Put the two together. As you say 'rooting and grounding,' bring your arms down to earth. As you say 'in love,' open your arms to the sky."

"ROOTING AND GROUNDING! IN LOVE!' they chanted and moved. Over and over again.

People began dancing with the arm movements while laughing and chanting.

"You have all gone to seed!" shouted Story Teller.

They laughed and danced and moved and hugged and let go into the night.