Have you noticed that pumpkins and October go hand in hand? Piles of pumpkins add so much beauty to this time of year.
Recently, I was helping out at a pumpkin patch. It was a slow afternoon with very few customers. It was just me and several hundred future jack-o-lanterns.
With nothing else to do, I got curious, pulled out my phone and googled “pumpkins.
I learned a few things:
- Pumpkins and other squash are native to North America.
- Pumpkin seeds have been found in Mexico that are believed to be over 8000 years old.
- 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are grown each year in the U.S.
- 95% of all processed (canned) pumpkin is grown in Illinois. The Libby’s processing plant is located in Morton, Illinois.
- Pumpkins are full of vitamin A and the seeds (aka pepitas) are a good source of protein, magnesium, copper and zinc.
Still no customers.
I looked more closely at the rows of pumpkins. Even though almost all of them were orange, they were all unique.
There were different shades, different veining, different stems, different sizes. Even a couple of white ones.
Each pumpkin had imperfections – asymmetrical, blemished, lop-sided but still looked pretty good.
In fact, none of my pumpkin companions matched the ideal of a perfectly formed pumpkin. The only time I’ve seen a perfectly formed pumpkin is an artificial one. Yes, these artificial ones can be saved and reused year after year. Yet I would prefer any of those real orange beauties over a lifeless “perfect” one.
I suspect that pumpkins are like snowflakes – no two are alike. And, of course, it follows that both pumpkins and snowflakes are like people – no two are alike.
Each of us is uniquely and wonderfully made. But in the course of the day to day, we can forget this truth.
We forget to cherish our own unique differences. (And spend too much time trying to conform to others’ expectations.)
We forget to cherish the differences in others. (Why can’t they be more like us?)
Then we move away from those who are different. Then less respect, less empathy, less understanding. This path eventually leads to extremism, hatred and fear. Definitely not the Path to Joy. Far from it.
Still no customers. As none of the pumpkins were disagreeing with me, I continued my reflections.
With our differences come different experiences and different points of view. And different opinions. Lots of them.
In this Age of the Internet and Affordable Electronic Devices, the opportunity for expression of opinion has never been greater. And that can be a good thing. But like all things, it’s about personal choice. We can choose to be civil or uncivil. We can choose to be positive or negative. We can choose to be loving or hateful.
Coach John Wooten asserted that we can”agree to disagree without being disagreeable.” Such marvelous wisdom. It is possible (and desirable) for each of us to express our points of view without resorting to distasteful personal attacks.
It’s really very simple. We get to choose whether our words and actions promote peaceful understanding or distrustful division. It’s all within our power. It’s a matter of awareness and choice.
Perhaps, we might all benefit from spending a quiet afternoon among rows of pumpkins. There would be time to consider ways to appreciate the differences in others. There would be opportunity to review and consider our own messages.
Do we wish to more consistently communicate peace or fear? Do we wish more frequently to encourage others to live in joy? What do you wish to communicate? You have the power. It is your choice.
And finally, Joy Nation, please remember:
- You are uniquely and wonderfully made.
- Each of us is uniquely and wonderfully made.
May we all live together in a world of joy, peace and plenty of pumpkins.
