My Green Tomatoes (The Sequel)

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my tomato plant and how it bore fruit. Well, here is an update on that. The plant has grown, and there are a lot of tomatoes, but they are all green. I keep going out there to pick tomatoes for lunch, and I come back in empty-handed. So, I called my gardening consultant, JW, and she diagnosed the problem. I was supposed to provide support for the plant by staking it. The weight of the tomatoes is dragging the plant down. They are too close to the ground. They need to be held up to the light to ripen.

I went out and tried to stake my tomato plants. They were already too big for the traditional tomato cages. I ended up tying them to upright posts.

This got me thinking about the importance of a support system. We may grow and bear fruit, yet remain green. It is our support system that holds us up to the light, enabling us to mature and become useful.

I have a group of family and friends who hold me up to the light. Occasionally I feel caged in and held back by these upright individuals. Some days I just want to drag on the ground. Sometimes I just want to grow wild, in every direction, without restriction.

However, I’ve experienced the drawbacks of trying to bolster myself. I need guidance and people to lean on. I cannot bear the weight of this life without loved ones to hold me up. I cannot ripen, reach my full potential, be beneficial, without support.