The Influence of Dirt
The dirt must have confidence. It’s capable of so many things! Even if no one notices and it doesn’t look like it’s working, it gets some pretty amazing stuff done. It holds up the entire world, grows plants, supplies food, and channels water. This thing so belittled by everyone is basically responsible for life to exist. It has to recognize its importance. It’s so dang busy.
Before I thought how grand dirt really is, I likened myself to it. I relished in being covered up and passed by, hoping to go unnoticed. My wonder kept me learning. Extraction became my best skill. Being extracted became my greatest avoidance. In keeping my answers to myself, they couldn’t disappoint. There wouldn’t be an argument. I had nothing to prove and everything to figure out. I was right, until I wasn’t. I could adapt.
As I found my way into teaching, I looked for those subjects and students who were neglected and taken for granted. The Health classes they let anybody teach. A Physical Education curriculum that was based on participation in sports and games. The quiet kid who keeps showing up. These were the things and people that could effect the most positive change.
Like the rock cutter , I could keep chipping away, letting the unseen be seen.
The mountains, after all, were just huge mounds of dirt, carved by wind and ice.
photo credit: steamusercontent.com
We all hope To be of use. To find what makes us feel most alive and get to keep at it, regardless of other plans. We’ll only end up disappointing ourselves when we work to make others happy. Keep doing what you find worthy of doing despite the opinions (or quiet) that speak otherwise.
The following is a beautiful Facebook post from a Mom who encourages her son to stand on his own two feet:
“I sure love my boy Nick. His world is full of possibilities. It’s sad to me that people, and there’s been more than one, have stopped me in public to express their opinion about him snowboarding during baseball. Please don’t make his world smaller. Nick’s bigger than that. Larger than life bigger. A man we are proud of. He shines when he snowboards, I’m surprised the mountain doesn’t melt. It’s unfortunate I am putting this on my wall, but it’s people who love him who carry this opinion, and I’m tired of defending it. Step back and really look at your kids, discover what makes them fulfilled and happy. Embrace them for who “they ” are. My son feels closest to God on that mountain, and out in the elements. And just in case you’re wondering, I’m praying a whole lot more when he’s out there. So I guess that makes me closer to God too.”
Applauded or not, the dirt does not sit idly by, waiting for its purpose to be revealed in order to begin. It simply does. And the entire landscape gets changed because of it.