Day 322 - 01/08/2008

Since nothing really extraordinary happened today, here's a little something that I've been thinking of writing about lately...

As the sun breaks in the east and climbs higher in the sky, the soldiers turn their faces to catch it's light. Farther down the ranks, the newly enlisted are reaching for the sky so that they might become equals to their comrades. They reach and grow and climb toward the sky, ever so adamant on gaining ground. It's a hard process, but eventually they might make it, if only to get cut down in their prime.

That doesn't stop them, as they get right back on the train and ride it towards the sky. They'll be cut again though. And again. And again.

The process is never ending.

Along the way they have to deal with the prospect of being trampled underfoot by those who don't know any better.

They've got to deal with chemical warfare that weeds out the undesirables and droughts that can kill the less hardy of the bunch.

Life is hard for them, but they never stop trying. When given the chance, they spread their seed, looking to pass along their bloodline to the future generations. At times they'll enlist foreigners to help them, other times they leave it to the whim of the wind, not knowing (or caring?) where their offspring grow up. This doesn't apply to all of them though: some like to keep their family close by, connected to their roots. This helps them maintain community, but it also helps them when being eradicated: Get one and you'll not have a problem finding it's kin.

Some of them are closely watched and cared for. This allows them to flourish, with nary a care in the world about bad seeds moving into their neck of the woods. Others are watched for fun, but no hand takes part in their upkeep. Others are ignored for years on end and end up living in squalor amongst some of the less desirables. Eventually their numbers will plummet and they'll soon be the minority in a sea of the unwanted.

Kermit the Frog had it right when he sang "It's not easy being green" all those years ago. As you have seen above, life for a blade of grass isn't a walk in the woods.