The Lorax Seed

Dear Yel,

On the way home today while listening to the radio, I caught the tail end of an ad quoting the movie Lorax based on Dr. Seuss children’s book.  It struck me as something I wanted to share with you immediately, “The last seed?  It’s not what it is.  It’s about what it can become.”

I haven’t seen the movie nor read the book but that quote bowled me over as something we should both absorb, struggling as we are with important people in our lives who need our love but who are posing too much of a difficult challenge. Just replace “it” and paraphrase:  “It’s not about who he is now but about what he can become.” Then it transforms into a powerful, empowering weapon for us.  When despair strikes us, just wield it like a sword and change your point of view. 

It’s hard to love an “unlovable” person or a person who by our standards, completely disappoints.  But too many times in our lives, we too were unlovable and were crushing disappointments in the eyes of others but I think, never in the eyes of God.  So that’s what we have to put on more -- wear the glasses of God so we see things His way and not our way.  But it’s hard to wear these glasses.  Maybe it hurts our eyes because we’re not used to it but if we get into the habit, it becomes second nature. 

Another quote from a book leapt out today in connection with this train of thinking, “I would like to have seen the whole world with eyes incapable of anything but wonder, and with a tongue fluent only in praise,” from the novel, The Prince of Tides.  It’s easy to view the world with wonder when seen through the eyes of our children, Joshua and Anita, but as jaded, cynical, much-experienced adults who've witnessed too many things, it’s not that simple to switch reference points.  However, we thankfully always have reminder models in our Joshua and Anita. Wouldn't it be great if we could make that effortless swap and it becomes a consistent part of our character?

I’ve been trying this theory out with my present challenge and it’s been working quite well.  Hope it’s useful to you, too.

Love,

Te