The third seed

          Three seeds sat safe and warm _under the dirt. The first seed was very content on where it was, completely ignoring its potential. The second was filled with curiosity about the world ^above, but too afraid to do anything about it. And the third was the most terrified of the three, but yet, the most daring.

         The first would shout discouraging remarks at the other two.

         “You’ll get run over ^up there, you'll _never make it.” It would say.

         The second seed would take these comments to heart, and would crumble and _sink deeper into the soil. The third would not listen, It could see through the first seed's insecurities and fears. It could see how it was _stunting itself, and bringing others _down with it. Despite all the thoughts and emotions that the first seed _pounded into its mind, it was not going to let these harmful tactics work. 

         He ^reached and stretched, pushing ^higher, and taller. Every inch closer to the ^surface it rose, the harsher the criticism became. The greater the pain got, the harder it was to keep a strong self worth. The second seed would watch the third and yearn so _deeply to have its courage. 

         It was almost to the ^top when the abuse turned almost unbearable. It became physical, stealing its nutrients and water, trying to cut off any avenue of progression so that it had nothing. Nothing to ^build with, yet it prevailed.

         The light hit the small fragile leaf as it ^burst out into the open. It had never felt light before, It was an incredible feeling. Now, It could finally breathe like it was supposed to. It stood ^tall as the other plants congratulated it. Then when the night fell, it wept for the seeds _below.

_{Written By Jason Osmond}