May 22nd Texas Corn

When you grow up in the Midwest, as I did, corn was a late summer crop.  It was an August thing.  My mom would go to the farm stand, buy fresh corn on the cob, my dad would shuck the corn and I would eat it.  Part of our summer life in the Midwest.

In south Texas, corn is planted early.  The picture above is the corn today-in the middle of May.  It is almost ready to be picked.  It changes the way you think about things.  I grew up with the saying “corn-high as your thigh by the fourth of July”.  Sometimes corn is that high by Easter here.

So, what is all of this about corn?  It is an example of the same thing grown in different ways but just as successfully.  I spent the weekend with two of my daughters (Lauren stayed at home to mind the farm) and all the grandkids. I was reminded how my children remember growing up uniquely.  Amber’s childhood was much different from either of her sisters.  Amber saw a marriage.  It didn’t always work, and certainly there was conflict but there were some good years as well.  Amber is infinitely patient with her children.  She and Ryan will teach their children well, and still each child will grow up to be different. 

Ally and Lauren grew up in a post-divorce single parent home for the most part.  Ally tries to be a better parent than either her father or I ever was for her.  I hope she succeeds and I know she and Luke will always do their best.  Lauren doesn’t really remember her father and I ever together.  She will bring yet another view of parenting when she has children.  And yet all the children will grow.  At different rates, in different climates, in different ways, but hopefully in the end there will be a successful life for all of them. Just as there has been for mine.