"Roots and leaves themselves alone are these, Scents brought to men and women from the wild woods and pond-side, Breast-sorrel and pinks of love, fingers that wind around tighter than vines, Gushes from the throats of birds hid in the foliage of trees as the sun is risen, Breezes of land and love set from living shores to you on the living sea, to you O sailors! Frost-mellow'd berries and Third-month twigs offer'd fresh to young persons wandering out in the fields when the winter breaks up, Love-buds put before you and within you whoever you are, Buds to be unfolded on the old terms, If you bring the warmth of the sun to them they will open and bring form, color, perfume, to you, If you become aliment and the wet they will become flowers, fruits, tall branches and trees." -Walt Whitman, "Roots and Leaves Themselves Alone". Whitman's words remind me of the importance of the warmth, comfort, love, education and acknowledgment that a child needs in order to grow, blossom, and become. "They will open..." he says, "they will become…" if given these necessary things. Further more, when Whitman writes, “Gushes from the throats of birds hid in the foliage of trees as the sun is risen,” he reminds me that all things are recycled, and also of a poem I wrote, that reads: “The Earth recycles herself and is recycled through me I am but a chain of genes; an inception of Nature.” What was before, still is— through us and through the Earth— what has gone has come again, seen through the “foliage of trees as the sun is risen” and the smiles of “young persons wandering out in the fields”. All that is here has been recycled—is here to give us necessary warmth, comfort, love, education and acknowledgement; to be our ailment, to teach us, and thus help us grow, blossom, and become. For our children’s sake, go out into Nature and feel this, so that you too can be this for them: BE their sun, their ailment, their teacher. Help them grow, blossom, and become. © Taylor McCarthy, April 21, 2016. www.sunlitaircreations.com www.facebook.com/sunlitaircreations (at Arcadia, Florida)
