Parenting is a tough row to hoe.

I try to plant Respect, Kindness, Thoughtfulness, and Consideration as well as cultivate my children's individuality, independent thought and self-reliance.

It is sometimes like sowing in the rockiest earth imaginable with rocks left, right, & center.  I am forever needing to address typical childhood obstacles all the livelong day to get to the fertile ground. 

Part of my frustration of being a parent is not knowing whether or not my efforts will pay off, if I've made any difference...if anything I've planted will take root.  I won't know if I was a good farmer until my kids grow up and tell me if I was or not.  

The other night, I caught a glimpse of some of the goodness I have planted in my children and I was encouraged.

My sons & I were at my daughter's Girl Scout Brownie meeting and one of the Brownies was passing out cake.  She tripped and landed hard on the ground, cake flying off the plate, crumbs all around.  It sounded like she had hit her head on the concrete floor.  The scout's mom ran over to her and immediately comforted her (she was a little shaken for a few minutes but turned out to be fine, luckily, no head contact with the floor).  I went over, too, and started picking up the mess so no one would slip on it.  I scooped up what I could and took it over to the trash, detouring to get a paper towel wet. 

When I returned, I saw my 9 year old son already in my place, wiping up the crumbs and leftovers that needed cleaning, doing his best to help.

He just did it.  On his own. 

This snarky, smart-alecky, not-always-nice-to-his-siblings and oftentimes annoying-the-living-daylights-out-of-me-just-for-the-fun-of-it nine year-old who seemingly gets enjoyment in getting away with whatever he is able to...  surprised me... and filled me with pride...  and showed me that even the rockiest rows are fertile and can grow wonderful things.

I see the promise of a bumper crop in the future.