
First let me start with a story. The first year I was a Resident Assistant, I had one of the best supervisors a person could ask for. Amy always saw the good in people and especially saw the inner potential I had before I even saw it in myself. Some of my favorite items in her office were a collection of plants that sat next to the front door. Being the quirky person Amy was, all of them had names and some kind of special significance to her. At the end of the year, Amy gave me two flower pots and told me a leaf from two of her plants were in each one. It was my job to take care of them and help them grow. Four years later, both plants have grown significantly and have been moved to bigger and bigger pots. They now rest on my apartment sill, waiting to have a leaf cut off and handed off to another student.
Although it may seem like a nice parting gift for a Biology student, these two plants meant so much more to me. In many ways you could say she gave me three seeds; two seeds were found within the potting soil and the last one could be found in the garden of my mind. It may sound corny, but our minds are some of the most important gardens. As part of the take away for this posting, I have included a remix of a lesson taught by one of the wisest people TV has ever known. In the video, Mister Rogers explains how it's good to be curious about things, when we have people help us learn, we can grow ideas in the garden of our minds. All we need to do is think, and they'll grow. It is so easy to plant ideas that will grow and define a person to be who they are today. I think it is easy to just say I have seen the movie "Inception" a few too many times, but we really make such a lasting impact on others around us. Regardless of these interactions being made on purpose or not, no one is an island.
As humans it is our job to meet as many people as we can, get to know their stories and allow them to plant their ideas in your head. This must be done with caution, although two heads are better than one, a mind is an awful thing to waste if you rely on the wrong people. I challenge you to find the people in your life that hold a similar role Amy held for me. Find that solid support system. These people can see you for the person you are and they will plant a seed that will lead you down so many new and exciting paths. As time passes, you will be given the opportunity to pass your knowledge along to someone else and the cycle will continue. All you got to do is think, and that path will grow.