 The beauty in growth: a seed is planted and we patiently wait for it to sprout, for the stem to grow tall, buds to emerge and - eventually - there are colorful, fragrant blooms. We are proud of our planting and take delight in the flowers. They make us happy and give us comfort. As satisfying and lovely as it is to see seeds gradually develop into bouquets, it is many more times gratifying to watch a person grow and develop - in faith, in love and in understanding. Just as I watched the plants in my backyard grow this summer, I also had the privilege of witnessing a seed grow and a flower blossom in son-in-law over the past two months. There is no doubt that he has suffered greatly since the death of Kitty Rose. Not only the pain of loss, but also the feelings of guilt have weighed heavily on his mind and on his heart. There is also no question that son-in-law has changed. Well before Mandy and son-in-law were married, all I could see in him was self-centeredness. I mean that in the sense that he wore blinders, had a 'tunnel vision' view of life. His outlook on the world allowed him to see only the path directly in front of him. There was no other route to follow, no alternate way to think, no respect for others' opinions. Yes, son-in-law was centered on self in both thought and action. Until Kitty died, even she, Belle and Mandy were outside the realm of son-in-law's tunnel vision.  Then after the accident and Kitty's death, a seed was planted. It was the seed of sobriety and, slowly, through his own desire and effort, son-in-law continues to grow He hasn't fully bloomed, the vase of flowers isn't full quite yet, but once in awhile, buds appear and we cherish the appearance of new flowers. This spring, Belle's recreation league softball team needed a coach. No one, pardon the pun, stepped up to the plate. It's a daunting task taking on ten 7-9 year-old girls yielding softball bats and tossing balls with their uncontrolled little arms. After receiving more than a few pleading emails, son-in-law reluctantly agreed to take the job. It was preferable to having a very unhappy child with no summer team on which to play. I went to Belle's first game. Oh … they were terrible. They couldn't hit, throw or catch and got whooped by a team with a former Minnesota Twins player as their parent coach. Ouch. Last week was the end of the season tournament. For weeks ahead of time, Belle begged us to come to the games - all of them. For even longer, son-in-law complained that the tournament fell on his birthday. Coaching the girls was definitely nowhere near his ideal idea of a birthday celebration. But, he fulfilled his commitment as we sat watching in the bleachers. Grandpa and I missed the first game, which the team won. Very good - and somewhat surprising - news. We continued to sit in the sun for the next eight-and-a-half hours in 90 degree temperatures, watching Belle and son-in-law's team play their way through the championship game. Needless to say, I was amazed at the progress the girls had made since that horribly painful first game. But, I was even more shocked and awed by son-in-law. After a second-place finish out of 14 teams (which included beating the team with the daughter of the former Twins' player) son-in-law stood in the parking lot beaming from ear-to-ear. He had an awesome day. He told me that he now understands why teachers love to teach. "They see the improvement …" Wow! A flower bloomed right before me on the hot pavement behind our parked cars. The dreaded coaching experience, a new seed, developed and grew into a feeling not only of accomplishment, but also into son-in-law's understanding of someone else's perspective! Five-and-a-half years after Kitty died, different varieties of seeds continue to be planted in our family and, occasionally, I am privileged to watch one bloom. It makes Kitty's death that wee bit more bearable, knowing that because we lost her, Belle, the Basher and the Dasher have a father who lost his blinders and is open to a wider vision than I ever expected possible, embracing life with his family and enjoying his time with them. On a hot summer day, in the bleachers behind a local high school, I was reminded that because growth takes time, I sometimes lose sight of the beauty that awaits. Progress is slow. I need to stay patient, keep my eyes open for new greenery, take joy in the budding and - at last! - rejoice in the flowers. 
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