Linda

SEED ###
Fresh out of college, Ivy was hired as a teacher in a small rural town. In time, she was befriended by families of children she taught. That was how she met Todd, a four-year-old who never spoke. ###
Upon meeting Todd, Ivy’s thoughts drifted to a cherished gift her father had fashioned from a small chunk of wood. It was oblong-shaped with one moving part — a slice of wood attached with a screw — that could be swiveled away from the body rather like a wing. On Ivy’s fifth birthday, her father handed her the gift saying, “See the invisible within the visible and have fun. See what you can see — and be what you can become.” He was a hardworking village carpenter — eking out a living and creating a life for himself and his daughter. He had named his baby girl, Ivy — hoping she would thrive and cultivate the will to move beyond her humble beginnings. He was the only parent Ivy had ever known and from his strong, calloused hands came all the warmth and love she needed. She did not know she was poor; she did not feel poor. ###
The smooth wooden oblong was shaped to fit snugly in a small hand. Its moving piece, easily rotated to the open position, acted like a suggestive switch — stimulating a willingness to see beyond the apparent. This treasured gift became Ivy’s dear companion. As she held it and flipped the wing to the open position she heard her father’s words, “See what you can see — and be what you can become.” Ivy called the captivating oblong “Seed.” It symbolically held all of life’s possibilities. As she became adept at envisioning the invisible veiled within the visible, Ivy realized that her anticipated destination in life was to be an ongoing journey — of seeking, seeing, and becoming. ###
One day Ivy slipped Seed into Todd’s hand. His fingers traveled over the object, eventually, flipping the wing open. He stared into Ivy’s eyes — saying nothing. As they walked to a small stream beyond the pasture, Ivy began telling Todd about her adventures with Seed. As he listened Todd occasionally closed Seed’s wing and quickly returned it to the open position. At times he closed his eyes. He never spoke. Eventually, the wonder of a bird’s motionless, outstretched wings riding the thermals caught Todd’s attention. While gazing skyward he raised Seed with its open wing to his heart. Faintly whispered words — “free to be” — flowed into being, breaking his silence like a roaring clap of pent-up thunder. His heart had opened. His essence poured into spoken words that echoed, “See what you can see — and be what you can become.” ###
Ivy loaned Seed to Todd for as long as he wanted its guidance. He began telling fascinating stories and, eventually, became a talented writer sharing profound insight and compassion. Todd excelled at seeking, seeing, and becoming. He valued Seed as Ivy had. Then at twenty years of age he was drafted and sent to Vietnam as an Army medic. Three months into service, Todd was mortally wounded and his sensitive, loving essence flowed out of his young body. His revered written works, however, live on. ###
Seed, found among Todd’s belongings, was returned to Ivy. Years later as she was preparing to die, Seed was found in her hand. She courageously continued her journey — flowing into Spirit.