Growing in a Fallow Time

Growing in a Fallow Time

Kirstie David is a Literacy and Outreach Librarian at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Look for her article in the April 23, 2020 edition of the
Transcript & Bulletin.
The wisdom limned in the biblical book of Ecclesiastes – “To
everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven” – is common
enough to be known outside of religious circles. Through the thousands of years
that mankind has been engaged in agriculture, we understand that there is a
time when we plant seeds, a time to harvest, and even a time when the ground is
resting, fallow.
Nobody I know put the precept of a time for every purpose into
practice more than my mother. She was a science teacher and was deeply dedicated
to the job. During the school year she would often follow a full day of classes
by offering after-school help, then grade homework, tests and lab reports in
the evenings. Yet she was also an outdoor person at heart who delighted in
summer breaks when she could work in the yard, cultivating her own wonderland
of florae. On rainy days when we were stuck indoors she made good use of her
time, bustling around the house and getting chores done. All the while she’d
cast glances out the window, waiting for her chance to resume playing in the
dirt. If just one fraction of the gloom lifted, she would take notice of it and
utter a favorite and oft-used phrase: “Looks like it’s brightening up out
there.” This habit said a lot about her. She was the type of person perpetually
waiting for things to get better so that she could celebrate that circumstance
and share it with others.
While I haven’t yet achieved my mother’s level of optimism or
productivity I keep after it, even now. The midst of a pandemic might seem like
a counterintuitive time to look on the bright side. We’re isolating ourselves
from others, donning masks and gloves to go to the market, wondering about the
availability of basic supplies like toilet paper and holding our collective
breath to see just how bad the repercussions of COVID-19 will be. There is a
lot to endure. Yet focusing time and energy on the negative aspects of our
current situation doesn’t help. So why not put this seemingly fallow time to use?
In a world that’s been turned upside down, couldn’t we also turn on its head
the notion that seasons of growth and stillness are separate? We might feel
limited right now, but it could also be viewed as a time of opportunity.
For my part, I’m trying to balance some of the adversity of this time
with positive changes. Working from home has been a challenge, complete with
mastering new technology to tackle tasks remotely while we try to create a
virtual library to tide people over. Yet it has also imparted new insight about
workflow processes, and encouraged me to explore online resources and learning
opportunities that I hope will increase the knowledge I have to offer patrons. With
the closure of nonessential businesses in March I realized h…