STUDENT BECOMES TEACHER

My son Alex and I were taking a walk in the woods when I noticed a yellow flower sticking up through some tall grass. I reached for my phone wanting to use my plant identifying app.

Alex saw me bending down getting ready to take the picture when he said. “That’s a yellow rocket.”

I stopped and looked up at him. “Are you kidding me?” I laughed. “A yellow rocket! Did you just make that up?”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “I’m just letting you know what it is.”

I shook my head as I turned back to face the plant and snapped its picture. I stood back up and waited for the identification to happen. A few seconds later a picture popped up on my screen. I looked over at Alex shaking my head in disbelief. “You’re right! It’s a yellow rocket. How did you know that?”

Alex laughed. “You looked it up a few weeks ago and I thought the name was funny, so I remembered it.”

He pointed down to the tall grass that surrounded the flower. “That’s Kentucky bluegrass.”

I leaned down again and snapped it’s picture. A few seconds later it came up and he was correct again.

“Wow! The tables sure have turned.” I said as we continued our walk.

Alex looked over at me, a concerned look on his face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Wasn’t it was just a couple of years ago, we were walking through our neighborhood and I was the one showing you the difference between a rhododendron bush and an azalea bush?” I looked over and laughed. “Now who’s teaching who?”

“Hey, one good thing about Covid, it got us walking more!” Alex said as we heard the pinging of a bike’s bell behind us.

“Coming up on your left!” they called again ringing the bell.

“And paying more attention to nature.” I said as we stepped aside to let the bike pass us.

Giving the biker a quick head nod and and quick “Morning!” as he passed.

We continued our walk and I noticed a small patch of white flowers and pointed to them.

“Star of Bethlehem.” Alex said.

“Hey, I knew that one!” I cried. “You just beat me to saying it!”

Alex shrugged his shoulders again. “I believe you.”

“Seriously!” I laughed. “I knew that one!”

I took my phone out again and used the plant identification app and snapped it’s picture.

“Are you checking to see if I’m right again?” Alex asked.

“No. I’m adding it to the plant history section. I’m collecting all the plants I know.”

I scrolled though the plants description. “Hey, do you want to start learning the symbolism of all the plants?”

Alex shook his head. “Nope.”

“Okay, so the star of Bethlehem symbolizes innocence, purity, honesty, hope and forgiveness!”

I looked down at the little flower with it’s white pointy petals then back at Alex.

“Wow, that’s saying a lot about a flower that they also call an invasive weed.”

Alex nodded. “Now who’s the teacher?”

“Hey! You’re right! I’m back teaching you stuff!”