Your Role As a Seed

Princess Jefferson

Your Role As a Seed

            “I don’t want to be a vegetable.” (Ozeiki p.352). No one wants to be a vegetable, still and dependent upon others for survival, but everyone wants to be a seed. A seed that can grow to be whatever it desires to be. A seed that with a little love and patience can grow into the world’s tallest tree or strongest earthly object. A seed can be anything that takes the form of life. Mother nature is unique. She gives every seed a task, and every seed must find its way to fulfill that task.

            In the novel “All Over Creation,” written by Ruth Ozeki, the term seed is used in a variety of different ways, but the most common use given to the word was, the beginning, and this is indeed true. In the story, we are presented with characters, who are formally known as the Seeds of resistance. They are band of hippies who feel obligated to inform and spread the message of harmful effects the use of pesticides, chemicals, and GMOs, can cause in consumer foods.  The Seeds of Resistance felt that their task was to influence the public to demand that food be labeled with ALL the products that are used for consumer knowledge, so that they are given a choice of what they want to purchase and intake.

            We then hear the term seeds again to describe the wonderful variety of seeds that Momoko has. People, who at first considered her plants and garden a bit odd, began coming from all around to buy seeds and start the construction of their own gardens.  The seeds grew wildflowers; the seeds grew fruits and vegetables, and most importantly the seeds grew a sense of pulchritude. The seeds blew life into Momoko and all who came to see them. These seeds are the very reason the relationship between the Seeds of Resistance and the Fullers grew to be as wonderful as it was. This was their task.

In a discussion with her daughter, Momoko tells Yumi that even as an adult plant, you are still a seed. You never stop growing, even after you pass on you start over again: ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Genesis 2:7 says that, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life: and a man became a living soul.”  This represent the circle of life.

The next time we hear about the term seeds we reference the death of the Lloyd. After his funeral, we are taken to the cemetery where instead of flowers over the casket, Lloyd was given seeds, and a small chicken egg in newly turned soil. These are signs of life anew. This is important because sometimes people forget to view death as a transition of life; life is a cycle that is continuous and never stops.  Not every seed is made to live long, not every seed is built to withstand the force of hard winters. Mother nature gives a seed a task, and once this is fulfilled the life of the seed is complete.

Lastly within the text, the word seed was used when discussing the NuLife pesticide. Which in an analytical sense represents destruction for a seed, but that is not the way this story turned out. People, including myself must realize that because an event occurs that may halt progress does not mean that nothing can be done to alter the change of events for beneficial means. Utilitarianism, is the goal. The Seeds of Resistance, the Fullers, and even the Quinns, faced much adversity around them, yet the task of the seeds in their lives were fulfilled.

The Seeds of Resistance, raised awareness and helped a very sick man, live the last moments of his life the best way he could have. Lloyd and Momoko, got the opportunity to see their daughter again and even meet their grandchildren. Yumi made amends with her father and began to understand what she needed to do as a mother. Momoko found her seeds a home. Cass and Will, received the child that they always wanted. This is a prime example that everything in life takes place for a reason.

            The symbolism of seeds throughout this book caused me to think about this year’s, 2016 Presidential election. So many people are hurt and scared, and have almost stopped their lives to grieve and mourn. But the actions of the election are just the growth a seed, a seed which has been tasked with getting people more involved. The election of our new president was not meant to silence people, but empower them. This election has encouraged the growth and continued studies of public education, immigration reform, Planned Parenthood, social justice and so much more.

This seed is only the beginning.

The message conveyed throughout this book can be applied to our life; No matter what tries to hinder a seed, Mother nature, fate, faith, whatever you feel better explains it, pushes it to accomplish its task.

A seed is meant to grow, and that is exactly what it will do.

Work Cited

Ozeki, Ruth. All Over Creation. New York: Penguin, Print 2004.

Bible.