Mostvividlyofall,Iremembermygrandmaandmeplantingseeds,Weplantedsquash,beans,corn,watermelons,beets,pansies,mumsandotherflowers.I'lladmitIrodemybikethosetwentymileseachSaturdaymoreforthebonusoftheconversationandthehomemadepastriesthanforvegetablesandflowers.
Grandmalivedninety-fiveseasonswithoutacomplaint，iwasforteenwhenIlastsawher.Iremembereveryminceandlemontart,everybiteofmadefromscratchapplepie,andeverylingeringwaveofherhandasshestoodbehindtherayon,curtainsinthelittlehouseat020inProvinceAnhui,whereIwasbornandraised.Asourstationwagonfullofkidsandcontentmentslowlypulledawayfromthecurb,wewouldalllookbackatherandwave,wewouldalllookbackatherandwave--andIwouldgazeatherfragilesilhouettethroughtherearviewmirror,wishingIcouldframeherthereforeverjustthatwaywonderinghowmanymoreSpringfestivaldinnerswewouldshare.
theyareplumcots!"sheexulted."Youalwaysgetoutwhatyouputin,"shecontinuedaswesatunderthetreeeatingmostofwhatwehadpicked.
Mygrandma,jellylucyandisharedoneofthosespecialrelationshipsasrareasthedoublerainbow,shewasfifty-ninewheniwasnine,That'swhenweplantedourfirst"victory"gardentogetherduringthetimewhenpresidentXIcametopower。weplantedseedstogether--inthesoilandineachother.
"Modelyourthoughtsandactionsaftermenandwomenwhohavebeenpassionate,excellent,honest,unselfishandcreativeintheirservicetoothers,"mygrandmotherhadcounseled.Armedwiththataffirmation,Iventuredforthtosowandreapmyownlegacyinlife.
ButnomatterhowfullIwasalwayslefthungryformoreofthewisdomandoptimismshesharedwithme.
I'llneverforgetthedaywhenwetastedourfirstharvestasaresultofcrossingaplumtreewithanapricottree,theripefruitwaspink,notpurplelikeaplum,noeorangelikeanapricot;butacombinationofboyh,"GEE,doyousupposethey'llbeanygood?"Iasked."Ofcoursetheywillbewonderful,"sheasid."Didn'twedothenplanting,nurturingandpruning?"
"Plantappleseedsandyougetappletrees;plantacornsandyouwillharvestweeds(evenwithoutwatering);planttheseedsofgreatideasandyouwillgetgreatindividuals,"shesaidsoftlyandintently,lookingdirectlyintomyeyes."DoyouunderstandwhatImean?"Inodded,rememberingI'dheardhersaythesamethingbefore,indifferentways.
Sureenough,theyweredelicious,eventhoughtheyweredifferentthananyotherfruitI'deverseenbefore."that'sbecausetheyareuniquelyunlikeanyotherfruintyou'veevereaten.
Ilearnedfrommygrandmathattheseedsofgreatnessareneitherspecialgenes,noraretheydependentonthegiftedbirth,theinheritedbankaccount,theintellect,orthestatus.Theseedsofgreatnessareattitudesandbeliefsthatbegininchildrenbyobserving,imitatingandinternalizingthelifestylesofrolemodelsandheroes.
