Planting Seeds...

I've been gardening with boys from the halls...they did not seem to have interest in it. Most of them have hours of community service to work off that was mandated by court, so if anything it is a reasonable way to work down the hours. After they did the time allotted they would come to me, and immediately have me write down and keep track of the hours to get their credit.

Then I went away for some travel commitments, and just let the garden do what it should, hoping that it wouldn't be completely fried by the time that I came back. I came back a few days ago, and walked over to the garden...I barely recognized it. The mint that we had planted was over flowing, the basil was twice as tall with flowers, all the weeds and the trash that had been in the garden before had been removed. I went around to the boys, and asked them... who did this???!! Who took care of the garden while I was gone so I can give them community service? One boy told me he had seen this other boy watering it every morning and every night, this is a boy that barely will talk to me, and when I asked him...he denied it. Another boy said he saw someone else weeding it, and picking up the trash, and so on and so forth. I got many names, and talked to many people, and nothing was confirmed, and no one wanted any credit for the work on the garden. What I came to understand was that they all had been working on it, in their own way and their own time...they wanted to invest in the garden but they didn't want anyone to know that they cared. Never underestimate the work that you are doing or the impact that it may be having on someones' life. No matter if they are able to show that they care or not, the tenderness and affection may shine through subtly in time...do good regardless : )