By Patty Hansen
Two seeds lay side by side in the fertile spring soil. The first seed said,
"I want to grow! I want to send my roots deep into the soil beneath me, and thrust my sprouts through the earth's crust above me. I want to feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the blessing of the morning dew on my petals!"
And so she grew.
The second seed said, "I'm afraid. If I send my roots into the ground below, I don't know what I will find in the dark. If I push my way through the hard soil above me I may damage my delicate sprouts. It's much better for me to wait until it is safe."
And so she waited.
In the early spring, a hen scratching around for food found the waiting seed and promptly ate it.
Moral: Those of us who refuse to risk and grow get swallowed up by life.