Nurturing and Honey

I’m seeing more clearly the difference between nurturing (giving another a sense of his/her own competency and possibility) and enabling (giving the message that they’ll never get it straight without my help).

A huge chasm lies between being helped and being treated as though we’re helpless. As someone who wants to write – no MUST write – I quickly sidle up against any nurturing comments that come my way and become preoccupied and obsessed with them, almost like a bear cub (Winnie the Pooh?) with his head stuck in a honey pot.

When I read my last FaithWriters entry to Fritz (the topic was “green”), he laughed out loud with enjoyment and appreciation. Then much later, he brought it up again on his own. “That Green Lemonade poem was great – really GREAT!”

I think he meant it.

Suddenly it didn’t matter AT ALL what the judges thought, or how my entry placed that week among my writing colleagues. I felt nurtured in a way I rarely feel – maybe because writing means so much to me. His comment is a couple of days old, and yet I’m still Winnie, and still stuck to what feels like an endless pot of honey that has the ability to feed other creative expression.

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Green Lemonade

I have a big juicer
To grind fresh produce
Of all different colors
From red to chartreuse.

It chops and then presses
The juice right on out,
While pulp tumbles headlong
From within the spout.

Sometimes I mix freely
The things that I juice,
Like carrots and parsley;
The rules are quite loose.

A favorite concoction
I call lemonade,
Although not the standard
Since green’s in its name.

The recipe’s simple,
A really good blend
Of foods that are healthy;
Put me on the mend.

I juice some sweet apples,
Some ginger root too;
Include a big lemon
To start this green brew.

Then add romaine lettuce
Dark leaves of some kale -
The juice that emerges
Is green without fail.

A sweet-ner’s* the last thing
To give it a kick;
Some ice chills it nicely,
A very good trick.

It’s true I’m addicted
To green lemonade,
And drink like a fish
From each batch that is made.

My body’s then happy,
And feels great all day.
“Hooray for that green stuff!”
Is all I can say.

Sometimes when outside
And my neighbors can see,
They glare at my glass
Full of green that’s not tea.

I can’t be embarrassed
By stares of disgust;
These people don’t know that
Green makes me robust.

Refreshing, nutritious,
And yum-yummy good;
YOU really must have some.
Since everyone should!

So taste a green sample
And take my advice.
You’ll never be sorry:
Green lemonade’s nice.



*stevia – a natural herbal sweetener with no calories and many nutritional benefits