When I was growing up in Mississippi, my parents were innovators in many ways that I can appreciate today. They were one of the first adopters to solar panel energy for the home, organic foods, home-baked bread, and limited television.
Many Saturdays were spent in our garden. We had a very large section of land set aside for produce such as corn, green beans, strawberries, and many other vegetables. The essential key for the garden each spring was cultivating rich soil. After the commercial cotton gin finished processing the cotton fibers, my brother, father, and I would take our antique-ish, baby blue dodge pickup truck out to the plant to shovel cotton trash.This is a very heavy, stinky material in which we used buckets to dump into the truck until it was full. This is good quality compost for the garden, but it takes an incredible amount of work to attain. The result along with my father’s diligence in the garden and mother’s work in the kitchen, allowed for a large yield of vegetables that we prepared into various dishes all year round. Of course, at the time, I preferred the M&M Dairy Queen Blizzards, but getting swept away with trends of the time are normal for kids.
I have had a few gardens since then and some were successful. This year, the soil was just not quite right. My yield was low and I feel like a beginner again. Perhaps, I was too hasty or chose the wrong soil. Maybe, I should add compost or more worms. It is all a process of learning what is right for the needs of the different plants.
Now how does this relate to a tech firm and Fundamental Friday?
Innovation can not be considered FORWARD, without remembering the basics. Yes, that is common sense for most. The basics of recycling our technology, because the elements used to build devices come from the earth. At times, this comes at a very large price to our environment. It is fun to get the newest and greatest, and yet we have to give back to the earth as well. The more simply we live, does not mean it is easy. It can be more difficult, but immensely more rewarding. Less stuff, less distractions, more recycling, more gardens and more community can create a better future. What are we doing to build a rich soil for a lush landscape?
On a personal level, working very hard will yield results SOMETIMES in the way I planned. In the past few years, I have learned resting, not pushing or distracting myself, gives me a chance to view how it ripples into all places in my life. Understanding that even if the garden or time allocation was not as amazing as I would have liked, with some time in ruthlessly, honest reflection, I have rich soil to cultivate a new season of crops or investments of energy. Life is difficult and requires a constant re-building and re-focusing on new dreams and goals, while accepting the process of living, which can be messy, disappointing and other times joyous and exhilarating. Knowing that life is a full spectrum event is probably the key. I don’t know as I know nothing, only sharing these experiences that give me strength.
I also feel it is extremely important that we connect in productive ways to enjoy the earth. The more easeful our life becomes with technology, the less we appreciate the ebb and flow of the earth’s timing and answers it gives. We are all connected, so we must remember that as much fun as television, ipads, and all other distractions can be in our daily lives, prep your soil for a lush landscape. In those moments of silence and work, where no one is there to applaud, appreciate or disrupt, you can be lead to create or assist with a great garden, venture, or embrace {insert goal or characteristic}.
* extra note…
This is why I have such an appreciation for schools like Muse elementary. [I am not affiliated with them in any profitable way.] They are teaching children to garden, to cultivate interests in not only intellectual pursuits, but a full human experience. I really hope more schools join in on this evolution. Watching and working with nature, gardening, and just realizing the process of living requires hard work, as well as patience in the unknown as a life long pursuit, which hopefully starts at a young age. Any age is a good time to start or renew.
Emma Moore
