We All Have Green Thumbs

I had heard about Kawika's garden but had never gotten "the tour" until today.  As we walked through the hillside and learned about the various plants -- where they were from, and what it took to care for them -- I began thinking that these plants were like our students.  Some require a lot of care in order to grow, pollenated by hand no less.  Others are like the ti leaf, "you just poke 'um in the ground or lie 'um down and he going grow" according to our kumu.  Some have surprises you would never expect (put the chili pepper water in my eye, are you crazy?!)  Plants come in many shapes and sizes and from various locations, and although some are of the same variety no two are exactly alike.  

As caretakers of the garden, we use different tools and techniques to care for our plants.  Sometimes we'll try new tools in hopes of finding a more effective method to help our plants grow and thrive.  Sometimes we'll need to pull weeds out of the way, or protect them from predators or the elements so that the plants will be able to continue on their journey.  We will most definitely get sunburn, sore muscles, and blisters along the way.  However, as the days and weeks pass, the work we put into our plants feels so worth it because we see them grow stronger, blossom and begin to provide sustenance, healing and shelter for others.  Very cool.

The one thing we must all remember is to appreciate the beauty of each plant -- some may have shiny leaves, others a beautiful scent or "ono" fruit for us to enjoy.  It's easy to get caught up in taking care of the fragile plants because they seem to need more care or the pretty plants because they always draw us to them; but we cannot forget to acknowledge and appreciate those like the ti leaf for it's special characteristics as well.  Time to work on our green thumbs!