Green things that grow have always held my attention. I'm fascinated, though repulsed by green moldy things in the deep recesses of a refrigerator. And delighted by the first hint of green peeking up through the snowy earth at the first hint of spring. Green stimulates my imagination and the passions of my soul.
I remember being given my first packet of seed to plant as a little girl. I stared at the lovely drawing of the plant that was somehow hidden in that little packet. I couldn't wait to open it; albeit somewhat disappointed to discover some non-descriptive looking kernels inside the packet that my teacher told me were seed. Not nearly as exciting as the picture on the front packet.
It was a first grade science project. My eager hands prepared the tin can which was going to house my seed. I placed layers of soil, carefully mixed with rocks to allow air to move through to create a home for my plant. Our seedlings carefully blanketed in, we prepared to wait for them to grow. Until the next morning! Yes, I was up at the crack of dawn, looking at that tin can amazed that absolutely NOTHING had happened in 24 hours!
I couldn't help myself. Curiosity and some apprehension getting the better of me, I dug until I found my seed. It was still there, as ugly and forlorn as when I planted it. I put it back wondering if it would ever look like the picture on the packet. Later on my teacher sat us down and told us that growing things takes time. Apparently, I was not the only first grader digging things up to see what had happened.
Green is an intensly symbolic color. According to Jacci Howard Bear in an article writen for About.com, the color green has positive and negative connotations.
- "On Life and Renewal: Green is life. Abundant in nature, green signifies growth, renewal, health, and environment. On the flip side, green is jealousy or envy (green-eyed monster) and inexperience.
- "On the Nature of Green: Green is a restful color with some of the same calming attributes of blue. Like blue, time moves faster in a green room".
Green is one of the most abundant colors on the planet. Where it is absent such as in desert areas, there is a 
baren harshness that haunts the landscape. Growing green things requires that you adjust your time table somewhat and your level of trust and faith a whole lot! You see, I kept that seedling packet, because after that morning's disappointment, I wasn't sure if I could trust that the dark brown kernel would actually look like the picture on the packet...but I truly hoped it would.
A lot of time passed, and then one day, I saw it. A little hint of green poking through the dirt which I had faithfully watered and placed by the window to make sure my little tin can was warmed by the rays of the sun. Everyday the little green stem grew, until one day, the graceful arch of it's branch flung out a leaf and then shortly thereafter a flower whose graceful beauty didn't look like the picture on the packet at all. It was much more beautiful.
Green can also symbolize relational growth. I am fascinated by the ways in which people interact and grow through relationships. Like growing green things, relationships rarely occur on our time table. They have an independent mind of their own...sometimes irrespective of the thoughts and stated intentions of the participants. Growing green relationships requires patience, care and perseverance just like growing green plants.
Green is a healing color which calms my soul and relaxes me. It's different shades and hues warm the palette throughout my home and office. Green also invigorates me. After a long spell haunched over a computer screen, stepping outside to simply gaze at my lawn restores drained energy. In color therapy, the energy of green is said to promote harmony. Green promotes harmony in relationships and in our surroundings.
Green is a color that nurtures and demands nurturing. A growing thing will wither very quickly if you ignore it's need for certain things such as water and light. It will shrivel up and dry away as though in retaliation for being ignored and marginalized. Green things intent on growing are bold about being upfront with regard to what they need to survive and thrive.
Isn't it interesting that Green is also the color of money? What is money? Money is simply a function of our means of exchanging resources within the context of relationships. Money is a symbol of our exchange of our life force in the form of goods and services. When we take care of the green in our life within the context of nurturing our relationships...Green promotes prosperity...personally and financially.
Initially the growth and evolution of green emerging in our lives may not look like the picture perfect marriage, or family or business. In fact much effort may seemingly be expended with little or no visible proof that anything good is growing. But do not be disheartened. Perhaps the greatest power of a growing green thing is the deep roots that it pushes down deep within the womb of the earth. These roots support the ability to sway, adapt and maneuver with deft and grace in the face of life's challenging and changing winds.
I've found that nurturing, caring and passion create green abundance in ways that are much more remarkable and interesting than any picture that I've seen on a seed packet, in a magazine or movie. So, here's a question. What's your take on Green?
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