The Burden Of Love (Jonathan Toews)

Planted. 11

Jonathan

As March comes around I decided I wanted some things to brighten up my apartment. I for one enjoy taking care of plants, seeing how some tender loving care makes things grow and seeing how the world needs us to take care of it in order for it to take care of us. So I call up Emilia and Kenneth and they agree to come help me find some plants for my apartment. Emmie has someone local who she gets her plants from when they do agriculture projects for school and they do a lot of good for the environment so I couldn't wait to pick out some plants and support a small business while I'm at it.

"Is it weird how excited I am to have someone who nerds out about plants with me" I ask as she laughs.

"No, I get it. The kids do like getting their own plants and taking care of them and watching them grow. But at that age they don't think much of what all goes into growing. What it means to nurture and take care of them. My hope is that they will take these principles and apply them to this life we live. Who knows, they might be left to take care of their siblings and will need to know what it means to grow something. Or they might have a kid in high school and want to keep it. At least they know it's not going to be some walk in the park to make sure something under their care won't wash away.

Life is like plants more than we know. We have to water our relationships in order for them to be healthy. We have to go out into the sun in order to step out of the shade, only then will we change like transforming from a bud into a flower. We need good soil and good foundations if we ever want to grow. And we have to care for all around us if we want this earth to be able to support us.

It's silly to think so much of life applies to plants. But In a way every walk of earth is interconnected, so maybe it's not that crazy of a concept" she shrugs.

"I think you're spot on. And I really thought I was the only one who thinks these things" I chuckle.

"Great minds think alike" she smiles up to me.

"That they do" I agree.

We get to the shop and look around. I let Kenny pick out some different succulents that will bring it all together. He had quite the eye for plants and I hope he is having fun even if plant picking isn't how most kids want to spend a Saturday afternoon.

"What about this one" he asks as he holds up another plant.

"It's great. But I think this will be the last little plant I can fit in my apartment. How about we find some tomato and cucumbers and stuff like that" I ask.

"Ew, veggies" he sticks his tongue out.

"Jokes on him because I sneak veggies in his food every day" Emmy whispers in my ear making me giggle.

"I need them to be big and strong" I tell him.

"So if I eat vegetables then I'll grow up to be big and strong like you" he gasps.

"Just like me" I promise.

"Well then why haven't you been giving me vegetables" Ken pouts as he turns to Emmy.

"I have. You just didn't know you were eating them" she shrugs.

"Seriously" he asks.

"Yeah" she assure him.

"Well now I don't trust you" Ken pouts.

"Oh come on, we eat ice cream almost every night it's only fair" she defends.

"Fine" he huffs. "But I want to be big and strong tomorrow."

"Sorry buddy but it doesn't work that way. Plants don't grow over night and neither will you. But show it patience, let it do what it's meant to and those veggies will make you stronger" I promise him.

"Good! Because I want to be just like you" he claims and I smile.

"You can be even better" I insist.

Once we get way more plants than I intended on getting I purchase them all and we bring them back to my apartment. I have a porch I use to get the plants sunlight. Some have to stay inside in shaded areas where most of them prosper in the light. So I put the plants in their respective planters and hang them. I help Kenneth water them as I let him sit on my shoulders to get the hanging ones. He does a great job of not drowning the plants but feeding them enough to grow. He was a smart little kid and once you explain something he figures it out pretty quickly.

"So have you heard anything from Kenny's mom" I wonder carefully as I watch him get some water. He takes a sip before pouring a little into one of the plants and repeating that over and over again until all the plants get enough water.

"Not a word. Part of me hoped something happened and that she left him behind because she didn't want him to be in trouble too. But most of me knows that she left him behind because she didn't care to provide for him anymore. She never showed interest in him when she was around. She would dump him off on me or I would find him alone. This was hardly the first time Kenneth had come over to my place because he needed help. But I have a hard time believing someone can give birth and raise a child and then just leave him. Not knowing if he died waiting for her to come back or if he's found a family of his own. I put so much of my faith in people so to think they're capable of such horrible things..." she trials off.

"It hurts" I finish for her.

"It does. We are capable of such amazing things. We can plant people in this world and help them grow, we can make this earth one worth living on. Instead we're made to believe these people are weeds to society. When in reality that little boy is a flower just starting to bloom" she smiles.

"You really love him, don't you" I ask.

"Like he's my own. He's finally stopped asking for his mom. He's stopped asking why he isn't good enough for her. Kenneth is seeing growth and it warms my heart. This isn't the end but just the beginning of the rest of his life. I just hope he doesn't outgrow me too fast" she chuckles.

"I don't think there's a thing he is willing to do without you by his side" I insist.

"Well with him and with you I don't see how I can do any wrong" she smiles at me. I wrap my arm around her as I pull her in.

"I think we're going to do some great things. It might take a while, we just planted the seeds of our future. But sooner than we think it'll all be worth it" I promise her.