As I was turning into the driveway yesterday I noted a rather large invader in the long, high pansy bed fronting our apartment building. A healthy, spreading zucchini plant had settled in comfortably among the neatly aligned, dainty flowers. I found the vision poignant and compelling, and was- for a brief moment- surprised by the intensity of my reaction. The reason became apparent after a moment of reflection. I am drawn to renegades, square-pegs-in-round-holes. The zucchini plant, with its showy orange blossoms promising sustenance, offers hope, possibility, potential.
To be truthful, I am probably more an octagonal peg than a square one. Nonetheless, the conversations I appreciate most are with creative, out of the box thinkers who offer fresh perspectives, innovative ways of solving problems and seeing the world. Just earlier in the day, I was inspired by a chat with my colleague, Tanya Lacy, sharing her vision for micro-franchising as a sustainable response to economic need. (see http://tanyalacy.blogspot.com/2008/09/eat-money.html) . My husband reminded me last night that because Albert Einstein was unfettered by a solid understanding of algebra, he was able to entertain and explore a startlingly new way of conceiving of the universe. It was only after he had developed his general theory of relativity that he doggedly followed the narrow path of mathematical proof.
I wonder about the fate of the zucchini in the pansy bed. Renegade thinkers (and renegade vegetable plants) must plant themselves in an environment that will at least provide the basics for growth, whether soil and water or consideration and resources. Hopefully, my sprawling green friend will be left unmolested, an inspiration to other anomalies seeking refuge from the confines of a too-small balcony planter. Ideally, those beautiful orange blossoms will be allowed to ripen and produce food. Plants and people are transient, passing through the garden for a time and leaving behind some legacy. For me, the legacy of a renegade zucchini plant is inspiration and the legacy of renegade thinkers is hope.
