Zucchini.
If you have a garden, that one word probably holds a lot of emotion for you. People either usually love it or hate it — not because of the taste of the vegetable, itself, but because it is so easy to grow. If you cannot get it to grow in your garden, you fear a black thumb, because EVERYONE can grow zucchini, you insist. When it does flourish, the hate for the vegetable comes because IT WILL NOT STOP.
Last summer’s garden was a bit difficult. I was experimenting with saved seeds, but my timing was off and the overall results were rather underwhelming. I did manage to cultivate two zucchini plants, however, that produced a steady supply of very nice fruit. I got out all of my favorite zucchini recipes and tried some new ones. But, smack in the peak of the growing season, my plants were struck by a very bad case of leaf mold!
My garden is totally organic. I insist on that. I always plant more than I need, so the bugs, the birds, and any small animal visitors can sample a bit and still leave enough for my family to enjoy. So, I cut off the infected leaves and hoped for the best. The leaf mold was determined, so I cut off more and more leaves, until the plant was nearly gone.
It grew back. Another steady supply of very nice fruit began in earnest. I pulled out every zucchini recipe I could find, and the zucchini continued to grow. I grilled it, fried it, baked it and pickled it. Then the leaf mold struck again.
Again and again I cut off the infected leaves, nearly leveling the plant to the ground with each attack. And each time it grew back, always producing a steady supply of very nice fruit. I fell head over heels hallelujah in love with zucchini that summer — not because of what it gave me, but because of what it taught me.
Those two sickly, apparently hopeless zucchini plants demonstrated a determination and strength that is inside all of us, no matter how broken we may seem — on the outside or the inside. We are all capable of producing greatness. We may only need a helping hand from time to time. We all need a chance to be allowed to grow.
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I think my garden has a lot more to teach me. I decided to write about it, here, so I will not forget what I learn.