Farming is what I'm quite familiar with. Probably because I grew up with a father who loves farming as he hates to see us go hungry.
Whenever I asked him about a particular plant he's always eager to pour out all I need to know about such crop.
Well, today is not to write about my dad so I'll just pause here and move on to what I intend to write.
My dad in his farming escapades this year decided to plant melon. I've not seen him plant melon in years. I was already away from home when he harvested the crop. He's processed it and sun-dried it before I came visiting again.
So what I met are the melon seeds with their outer coat.
Melon seeds with outer coat
This melon seeds require removing the shells in order to have the edible seed inside.
To get the seeds within the shell, you'll be required to break open the coat to reveal the seed which is white in colour.
After removal
Removing of the outer shell takes time. I can't say it's tiring though. It only requires you pick the seeds one by one, break the shells open to remove the edible part. It's something you can do as a leisure.
It's often said in our culture that egusi ni arúgbó n ṣẹ meaning, removing the shells of melon seeds is the work of old people because it does not require effort.
Melon is called egusi in my dialect
I didn't just partake in removing the melon shells, I took a lesson from it as I did.
As impossible as it seems to remove the shells of each melon seeds seems, I saw how that simple yet consistent process keeps yielding more and more of melon seeds ready to be cooked.
Aside the ones my mom had done before I came home, it's been only two days and we have measured up to 9 cups of melon seeds with their shells removed.
Anyways I got something out of that activity.
Achieving greatness only demand those consistent, focused baby steps.
Those daily practices that's aimed towards that goal is not insignificant.
Like the melon seeds
Create a plan in line with what you want to achieve
Break them into weekly achievable goals like each seed of the melon with their shells
Work on each goal daily just like picking the melon seeds to break it open
As you break open each plan, you get closer to your goal same way you accumulate more seeds as you break open the melon seeds
Don't forget that fulfilment is not in pulling down a stronghold so to say, it's in living each day towards the direction of your ultimate plan.
Find comfort in that daily routine and keep at it. Like the comfort of sitting with your melon seeds, picking each seed to break open the shells.
The joy after preparing the melon seeds into soup supercedes the time used in removing the seeds from their shells.
I don't know what you have as a ultimate goal. Just keep doing that daily tasks in the same direction. You'll get it to the final stage before you know it.
You'll get tired
There are times when I get tired of sitting or my fingers get numb when breaking the seeds. I take some time off to stretch my joints then get back to business again.
Why? I have a goal, to have all the shells removed so that I can have melon seeds ready for the kitchen 🤤
Don't worry, you'll get it done.
I'm encouraging you as I'm encouraging myself.
All pictures are mine
Thumbnail was made with Canva
Thanks for reading through.