We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Melina Ward a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Melina, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us today. We’re excited to dive into your story and your work, but first let’s start with a broader topic that might be stopping many of our readers from pursuing their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. How have you managed to persist despite haters and nay-sayers that inevitably follow folks who are doing something unique, special or off the beaten path?
Wow, this question offers layers to explore! The nay-sayers aren’t always who you think they are! What I mean by that, yes, other people, groups, and constructs have their opinions about what you are doing. Sometimes the nay-sayer isn’t coming from outside of yourself but it’s YOU or in this example ME. When others nay-say, for me, those are easier to overcome, because quite simply, if they use their privilege of time and energy for negative narratives or agendas then they are not who you want or even need in your corner. It might sting a bit but use that venom as medicine for your love of what you know and feel in your being.
Now, you, yourself being the nay-sayer may parallel “imposter syndrome” but can surface more often in your daily work or future planning. I like that you used the word “persist” in this question because it is the continuation of efforts when things are flowing smoothly and against adversity – that adversity being your mind at times. I love when I stumbled upon the Hawaiian word “ahonui” – and my favorite interpretation of this word is: ” to move toward something for as many breaths as it takes” This one word brings so much strength, and brings me back to my breath. A gentle reminder of what I want to use my breaths for, while I am on this beautifully complex planet.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Myself, along with the support of many others, one of whom is my incredibly talented artist in all his ways husband, Nick and I birthed and are raising Petals for Pollinators. A newborn in 2022, I humorously say, that currently, we are exiting the toddler stage. Petals has blossomed and made amazing strides from its infantile state and is ready to graze into its next chapters. Together we are “plating the pay-it-forward seed”. Seeds in hands any way we can! We are fostering a reconnection to something that affects every human being on this planet, our reliance on pollinators for the foods we eat every day! The possibility of infinite life springs forth from seeds. We believe having access to seeds and education about how our food comes to be is a fundamental part of existence.
Our hope is the seeds do at least one of two things: they make their way into the ground, grow to become food for people and pollinators, and in what oftentimes feels like a stroke of genius magic, that food, in turn, makes more seeds, thus supporting the delicious cycle to continue, OR, they make their way to being seen, touched, played with, and talked about, maybe not ever making their way into the ground.
Both outcomes inspire our lens to shift back to being more in awe of what seeds do for us every day. It also metaphorically if you will, plants seeds in our minds, of questioning, “Where does our food come from?” “How does our food come to be?” “What relationship do pollinators have with my food?” What relationship do I have with pollinators and my food?”
So often I meet people who are hesitant to take seeds because they have a concern they are “wasting” them if they don’t somehow immediately know how to grow copious amounts of food with them. To which my response is, I can’t speak for the seeds directly, but I believe there is a parallel of importance in growing food and interacting, touching, feeling something with your hands, learning and understanding what goes into growing our food.
Experiencing any of those activities leads to appreciation, reconnection, recalibration, regeneration, all the “RE’s”! They give life to the scope of all the layered relationships: pollinators, people, animals, plants, air, land ( indoors and out), soils, water, and how something so tiny in stature has inside of it all the innate ability to grow into food for us and pollinators while springing forth seeds to continue providing food for pollinators as well so they can continue to pollinate our food and help it grow. Its simultaneous simplicity and complexity just really gets me so filled with fascination and admiration.
On that note, we are very excited because this is our second year being able to distribute Seed Lunch Boxes from Coast to Coast to different schools, restaurants, libraries, clubs. & community locations.
The Seed Lunch Boxes are an ongoing program, education, & service.
Petals for Pollinators provide continued support & seed/supply refills.
Each appealingly fun Seed Lunch Box is brimming with an assortment of pollinator & food fun facts, seeds valued between $250-$300, and supplies to make over 100 seed packets.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Adaptability (being able to fly by the seeds of your plants), a sense of wonderment (sometimes it’s ok even if it’s a forced curiosity), and for the third, I have Nick to thank for this gem, “Why not?” Asking myself lightheartedly, “Why not” to do or not do something releases the pressure of “why” and helps me get to the core or root quicker when sorting through ideas, challenges, or emotions that arise when my feelings or sense of direction get complicated. Lastly, when people ask “Why”, it’s fun to ask them “Why not?”
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Thank you for this question! We would love to spread the word about how people can nominate or request a Seed Lunch Box for their school/org/community. We fundraise year-round to be able to offer Seed Lunch Boxes at no cost to nominators or to Seed Lunch Box Recipients. You can go to our nomination/request form by scanning our QR code or the link in our bio on Instagram.
I mentioned fundraising, as a 501c3 non-profit, Petals for Pollinators partners with and/or has been the donee of a diverse spectrum of other non-profits, individuals, small businesses, restaurants, & large corporations. We welcome anyone who eats food or knows someone who eats food to reach out to us directly and we will appreciatingly, excitedly collaborate!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/petals501c3
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plantingthepayitforwardseed/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plantingthepayitforwardseed/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/petals501c3
