The Squash Plant of Plots

Every spring when I plant my garden, squash plants reseed themselves from the compost I use. In the past I have pull these volunteers out to allow space for the other plants to grow. This year, however, I kept one. It had sprouted in an empty spot so I figured what’s harm. I put a tomato cage around it and encouraged it to grow upwards instead of on the ground. But it was a very happy squash plant and grew and grew. Expanding outside the tomato cage, around the other plants and even outside the garden bed itself.

One day as I stood in awe and wonderment looking at it, I realized it was just like a story plot. I start off with many ideas which I prune and pluck out until I am left with one. Into that one, I pour my energy, thoughts, and love. The story absorbs it all and demands more and more which I struggle to find and give.

And then at some moment in time, I take a step back from the writing and see that the story has taken on a life of its own. Maybe going in an unintended direction which can be good or can be really bad. Maybe be growing outside of the shape I had imagined it in the beginning.

As with the squash plant, I then battle with myself. Do I prune it back? Let it run wild? Try to find my way back to what I had imagined?

For this squash plant, I am letting it go. I have made soup with one squash and wait to see what else the plant will produce. With one story, I am prune it back to find the essence of what sparked my curiosity in the beginning. For another story, I am letting it run wild. So many paths!