Pass the Goodness On

While walking through the garage, I witnessed our 10-year-old’s abrupt 180 degree turn on the train of younger siblings behind him. “WHY must you follow me everywhere?!?!” he yelped with a scowl.

The Kindergartener and Preschoolers behind him looked at each other and shrugged.

Immediately, my mind recalled a comment from the 10-year-old a few weeks ago. “My little sister hates my guts. I don’t know why.” Hmmmmm…..would his sister’s adoration grow out of such an interchange?

Last weekend, my sister and I were discussing the wonder of being able to share raspberry plants. A healthy plant will send up new starts off its roots every spring. We term those new plants to be’ suckers’ as they gain their initial strength from their mother raspberry cane.

“Just think — -the plant starts I gave you were suckers off my plants. You shared suckers off those plants, and my starts were undoubtedly from the roots of other plants. So you gifted the suckers of the suckers of the suckers!”

Where did it start?

Like those raspberry plants, our thoughts, feelings, and actions may draw energy from our experiences. They can be “suckers” growing from someone else’s words and actions. They can also be a starting point, sending “shoots” of peace or poison to those around us.

As demonstrated by our son, words are powerful. “Our words can be supportive or angry, joyful or mean, compassionate or tossed aside. In the heat of the moment, words can sting and sink painfully deep into the soul — and stay there.” 1

The good news is, we can act and not be acted upon! 2

With the help of our Savior, the “poison passing” can stop HERE and NOW.

Instead, our words and actions can send forth “shoots” worth sharing. We really can do some good in this world, one interaction at a time.

Pass the goodness on!