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I heard a story the other day about a gentleman who watered a plant every day. The plant had a beautiful deep green color and a healthy appearance.

If the little plant began to lose its green color, the man would water it a bit more and the deep green color would return.

The man liked the plant so much, he bought a second one and took equally good care of it.

But that plant, of the same species, remained light green.

He watered it more, talked to it more, prayed over its leaves. Still, it remained light green.

Finally, he took the second plant back to the garden store where he had purchased it and asked what was wrong with it that it was not dark green.

The staff of the store told him simply, “This plant isn’t supposed to be deep green; it’s a bit different than the other plant. It’s perfectly healthy.”

The story reminded me that we are, at our very best, not the same – not the same color, not the same religion, not the same political party, not the same type of writers.

With my first child, I thought I would be painting on a blank canvas. I read all the parenting magazines and tried to do all the right things.

With my sixth child, I realized I was simply watering a seed I did not create. The seed might bloom into an orchid or a rose or even a pumpkin – all beautiful, all necessary, all very different.

I have learned, I think, that it is important for all of us to grow into our best selves and waste no time on trying to be something we are not.

With a son in college and a daughter in her senior year of high school and preparing for college, I have been allowed them to know themselves well enough to chart their own career paths.

I want them to do their best, to work hard and to respect their instructors. Whether they are studying accounting, exercise science, speech pathology or journalism, the great benefit is in their ability to learn well, to apply information and to plan their futures wisely.

With both of them also being old enough to vote in this election, I have certainly engaged in political discussion; however, I have not directed them to vote for any certain person or party.

The important thing is for them to care enough about their country and their community to vote.

I want to have raised children who know how delegates work, the history of voting, the role of the Supreme Court and the role of each legislative branch of government.

I don’t want to tell them how to vote.

I’m reminded of eight years ago when my son, Nate, and I were going to the polls together.

“You know mom, we’re just going to cancel each other out,” he said of our different viewpoints.

“But then we’ll go to breakfast,” I said.

Well played, mom. Well played.

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By Geri Gibbons

[email protected]

Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons