Growing People

At the place I work we recently had a new mill manager assigned to work at our facility. After a few days he came by and introduced himself to our work crew. I asked him what his background was and he went into his history and what he felt strongly about. One of the things he said was that he believed in ‘growing people’. This is an interesting term, one that I have heard a number of years ago and I myself believe in. You might ask the question, “What does ‘growing people’ mean? How can we grow people or how can people grow? In essence we are all growing from the time we are born until we depart this life. Our bodies grow from infants to our adult stature, but there is another growing that takes place. Our intellect, knowledge, character, etc are also growing. We are all placed here in ‘earth’s garden’ if you will, to increase in wisdom. Some of us will be one thing and some another. We will have the opportunity to ‘grow’ in many facets of life. A mother for instance will develop her talents in many aspects as she nurtures and cares for her children. She will have the opportunity to grow in so many areas. She will be shaped and guided by many sources, her own mother’s example and other mothers and sisters who have and who are experiencing like things. Men and fathers will have opportunities to grow also in their work and life’s associations. I think that when we put our lives into this type of perspective we might have a little different outlook on our associations with one another. Is how I’m treating or dealing with this person helping them to grow, to be all that they can be in the realm of their current sphere of existence? It is not hard to look back on one’s life to see that there have been those who have nurtured and guided and corrected us to be better, to develop skills and to be a more successful and capable human being and brother or sister in the garden. We in turn are then cognizant of our own responsibility to help another. In this type of atmosphere everyone can grow and develop in the full stature of what we were intended. So if in your work career you find yourself working for a supervisor who has this kind of attitude, you are blessed indeed. And then you will also remember that your supervisor is in the garden him/herself and you have an opportunity to help them grow as well. May we all provide nourishment to one another as we were intended to do!