We were driving in to water flowers at the cemetery, and I found the city streets we had to travel, very depressing.
Although the blight has been creeping in for some time in the community in which I grew up, it seems to have gotten much, much worse. Burned out and boarded up houses and businesses seem to be the standard now.
Interestingly, there is tons of road work taking place, as there is apparently at attempt to fix what can be fixed. I know that the Mayor is trying to ascertain more funding to demolish some of the more troublesome houses, but I found myself thinking how difficult it must be to be the Mayor of such a depressed city.
On this overcast day, it was hard to shake the overwhelming sadness on display, except for one thing . . .
On one of the worst streets, there remains a yard that has been a bright spot for years. The entire front yard is covered in beautiful, bright flowers that stand out against the blight. Somebody must be hanging on to hope and choosing to offer what they can in such a depressed city.
The inspiration this
garden-in-the-city offers is a reminder that each of us has the
opportunity to be a bright spot in someone's life. So many people are
down and discouraged due to work, finances, sickness and life in
general; they could probably use a smile, patience, or even a
listening ear.
What little we might offer can be significant; it, reminds me of something St. Therese of Lisieux said:
“I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that
the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen
the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I
understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature
would no longer be enameled with lovely hues. And so it is in the world
of souls, Our Lord's living garden.”
If there is someone in your life that is surrounded by hardship, try to be a daisy (or a rose!) in their life. In doing so, you will surely add to "Our Lord's living garden."
Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.com
https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/
https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy
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