I’ve wanted to write a blog for quite some time. Working with our grade three students is always inspiring as they look at everything with such curiosity and wonder. Today I was inspired to put into words a very special story that is happening right now. It brings tears to my eyes as I try to put it into words.

Every year in grade three, we read the Dr. Seuss story, The Lorax, as part of our plants unit and to symbolize Earth Day. This is a wonderful story about how saving one ‘truffula’ seed can be the start of a new tree and eventually a new forest that future generations can enjoy.

First, some background. My father went into a nursing home about a year ago. He was (and in his mind still is) passionate about so many things: family, friends, fishing, music, watercolour painting, building projects, and gardening. The list goes on. When my husband and I purchased a cottage 17 years ago, Dad was thrilled, as it was a lifelong dream of his to own a cottage. In the early years, he and my mom spent more time than we did at the cottage. He took pride in keeping every blade of grass manicured, in growing tomatoes and of course, flowers. He still talks about the ‘projects’ he needs to complete at our cottage, even though we know he is no longer able to pursue these passions.

My father has a special love for ‘Four o’ clocks’. These beautiful, delicate flowers are named Four o’clocks because they open in the afternoon sun each day. Every year Dad planted them, and then harvested the seeds at the end of the season to be replanted the following year. He taught my two children how to collect the seeds. The last seeds he collected with my children are about 8-10 years old. He now only comes to the cottage for a few days at a time, so the seeds have gone unplanted for many years, sitting in his old toothpick jars in my kitchen drawer. My wish is that he can come to visit his favourite place in the world, even though it is unlikely. Because of this, the rest of the story…

This year we planted our Four o’clock seeds as part of our science unit in grade three. We called them ‘truffula’ seeds, at first, but I wanted to share this story with my students, so they are now in on the secret that the seeds are actually Four o’clocks. Both classes planted Papa’s seeds, but sadly, none of them germinated. However, I had a few left over, so I threw them into a dish, watered them, and crossed my fingers. Amazingly, ONE seed germinated.

The students and I believe that this is a small miracle. We are watching our little baby plant and pleading that it will survive. Our hope is that I can deliver it to Dad in his nursing home to share a little bit of the cottage with him and to make him smile with pride. I have promised to plant it this summer at our cottage, and if it reproduces, I will collect the seeds and pass them onto the children when they are in grade four. If they each plant their little seed, Papa’s Four o’clocks will live on in our gardens for future generations to enjoy. And by doing so, a special part of Dad will live on as well.

Jackie Madigan
Grade 3 Teacher
Kingsway College School