As consumers we want it, and we want it now. We congratulate ourselves on the amount of greens in our shopping basket. Yet do we ever stop to think: where did this kale come from? How long did it take to travel here? How long did it take to grow?

Pop quiz. How long does kale take to grow from the seed?

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Approximately four months. Congrats if you were one of the few that got it. Here in the Netherlands the kale in stores was planted in June. Ponder that time frame for a moment. Imagine watching it grow. It seems like an eternity in today’s fast paced life.

We’re so out of touch with the process of growing food that our ancestors knew so intrinsically. We're disconnected from the food we eat.

One could argue this reflects a greater disconnect. A disconnect with ourselves. Our intuition. Our wellbeing. The ability to be alone. The ability to sit still. To allow time to grow. Maybe we’re all a little nervous if we actually stop and look at ourselves what we’ll see.

We decide we want to grow some kale at home. We go to the store. We buy a small plant. Not the seed. Why? We know the seed will become the plant. In fact, the mere process of watching the seed blossom would be even more magical. It’s just that seed seems so small. It looks like a lot of hard work. It might not even work at all. The plant is a much safer option. More reliable. The plant is probably difficult enough to grow as it is.

And yet how often in life do we opt for the seed? Do we take the gamble on something? Believe in the unseen. Trust in the journey, what we can’t control. Have patience. It is the very life process that underpins everything on our planet. And yet it is something we all struggle to accept.

The best things in life take time. Lasting friendships, love and wisdom. These are things that grow across a lifetime.

Homework this week? Plant a seed. Set an intention. Watch it come to life.