to be relevant.....

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This is Herb.  I bought him a week ago.  He isn't an herb, actually......meaning he's not like parsley or basil or rosemary, etc.  He's some kind of weird solarium creature who lives in this little glass ball in my family room.  The instructions read to give him lots of sunshine, good ventilation, and a spritzing of water every 2 weeks.  That should be easy but around here.....every 2 weeks could turn into every 2 minutes in the hands of our wild Precious.....or he could lose his safe house/glass dome if the boys' rowdy basketball play goes bad.  Josiah could accidently swipe it off the table when he is swinging his blankie or his ninja sword.....and then there are the dogs and their non-stop badgering and chasing and running.  Oh, poor Herb.  I am so, so sorry.  I should have left you at Walmart on the bottom shelf across from the restrooms where no one noticed you.

Herb.  I took you home.  I gave you a name.  I validated you as a living thing....and I will strive to keep you alive and learn how to keep you healthy and watch you as you grow.  I will try to protect you from all the chaos of the world beyond your glass globe.  Today I got to "spritz" you.  It felt so good to do something for you, Herb.  I'm not used to tending to something who is not, in the least way, needy!  I hope I didn't over-water you, Herb.  If so, I killed you with kindness.

Maybe, we could all find our own "Herb" this week.  Someone, or something, that is being kept down and out of range.  Someone, or something that is going unnoticed.....but if you or I could just decide that they, or it, matters......and validate it......and maybe even.....name it?  I have a feeling there is a world of children and adults, animals, wildlife......created things......that are not yet noticed or validated.  I think that we could all look closer and elevate the unnoticed to their rightful place of worthy and relevant.

Today, the sun was shining cold and bright into my family room.  Some sweet little girls picked up the room while I was at the store and when I came home, they couldn't wait to show me their work.....and the house looked so tidy and neat and welcoming.  The sun gleamed off of the globe that holds my Herb.....and he was noticeable.  He was lovely.  He was.....relevant.

Relevance matters, don't you think?

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