West Texas has experienced such a drought in the past couple
of seasons that the color brown has become familiar to us all. But the skies
have opened over our land in the last ten days, bringing much-needed
moisture. I woke early one recent
morning to claps of thunder and the precious sound of rain hitting the
windowpanes. Farmers and ranchers in this part of the country will be grateful
for the life-giving moisture. My own yard is a testimony to what happens when
there is rain and when there is none.
Just two weeks ago, I purchased some herbs to plant, but by
the time I was able to get them in the ground, the sage plant was looking
withered. I planted it anyway, and have continued to give it daily drinks of
water. After the recent rains, I went out to assess the state of my little herb
garden. Lo and behold, there was a green sprig shooting up from the area where
I planted the sage. It could be a
weed—it’s too early to tell—but I’m trusting that it is, indeed, the sage
coming back to life.
The rain blessing reminds me of a universal truth: for
things to grow, they need nourishment. The word “nourish” comes from a Latin
word that means “to feed.” Not surprisingly, the word “nurture” comes from the
same root word.
As I anticipate the growing things in my backyard that are,
right this minute, being nourished, what of my relationships? Are they being
nourished? Several examples come to my mind of people I know who have
flourished under a bit of extra attention.
When I was a child, my friends and I loved to play on the
swing set, pumping our legs furiously to go as terrifyingly high as possible.
But once we achieved the maximum speed and height, we stopped pumping and
coasted, letting the swing wind down from its momentum. We called it “letting
the cat die” (with apologies to all my favorite kitties). Without some effort
to keep it in motion, the swing would finally glide to a stop. It is easier
sometimes to let relationships coast, assuming they will keep swinging even
when we stop putting forth effort.
So today, just as the life-giving rain is nourishing our
land, I want to be mindful of some relationships in my life that could use a
drink of water, too. If you and I make the effort to pour out some nurturing on
people we know, the results will almost certainly be fruitful. We all thrive
with attention and care. Why not shower somebody today with a little nurturing?
You might bring some wilted, starving relationships back to life.
copyright 2012
