Is Perception Everything?

Twenty years ago, when my husband and I first approached a bank about getting a loan to build our greenhouses, the banker we were meeting bemusedly listened to our pitch, leaned back in his chair, folded his hands together, chuckled and said, “Oh I understand, you guys are hippies, right?” The traditional lending powers of the small business sector didn’t seem to have much interest in the idea of growing locally, growing healthy, eliminating an environmental footprint, and giving back to the community; banker after banker we visited told us there was no way this venture was going to make enough money for them to be interested. The perception was that our business model was not efficient, not effective, and not relevant. I dare say that had these same bankers taken a step back to re-evaluate their initial perception, we might have become very loyal, very valued customers.
Fifteen years ago, when I first found out I was pregnant with our eldest child, I went to an obstetrician for a check-up. After congratulating me on the wonderful baby to come, she told me I should take a specialized daily vitamin to help with the baby’s development. “Great”, I gushed, “I won’t miss a day! And I grow my own garden, I bet that will really be great for the baby too!” The obstetrician put her pen down onto her clipboard, looked at me over her glasses, patronizingly smiled, and said, “Yes that sounds nice. Food at the grocery store is just fine too.” I think she thought I was a young and naïve mother-to-be, of the variety that perch on soap boxes, touting a few too many big ideas of little real consequence. The perception was that growing a garden for your family’s health was a marginal pursuit, and while perhaps a noble idea, not very high on the list of things to do (there was already a food industry dedicated to just that.) Like the bankers years before, had the doctor taken a few moments to re-evaluate her perception that gardening for food production was an outdated idea, she might have stumbled upon the information that was readily available. Many studies had already been published in scholarly journals which confirmed that one of the best net-benefit pastimes we can engage in is food production via gardening, as it ultimately supports the physical, mental, and environmental well-being of one generation to the next.
Perceptions can be funny things, as we tend to live out our closely-held values based upon our impressions of the world around us. Our society’s interpretation of the very meritorious Olympic motto of Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger) is currently being influenced by the highly-visible media of large corporate industry and show business. The ultimate question and litmus test to this perception is whether or not the core values of bettering oneself and society are being met through the reality of glamour, fast cars, and extreme wealth of a minority population. If the answer is no, perhaps now is the time to re-evaluate our perceptions.
An alternate interpretation of Faster, Higher, Stronger might be perceived via our family’s health and what we can do about it. Get outside, play in the dirt, and try growing a few things this spring! Planting a tree can make a big difference in the health of your family, as a single tree gives off enough oxygen each year to support four people. Throwing down some wildflower seed onto a steep slope can help the environment by preventing erosion and is a lovely sight for passersby. Starting a handful of bean seeds, some lettuce starts, a few seed potatoes, and an herb or two will give you oodles of healthy food for your table in only a couple short months. The list of fun gardening pursuits is endless and bolstered by our positive perceptions about the wonderful opportunities that trying something new provides. Why not try cultivating some of your own new ideas / new plants today?!