Grandmother dug into the earth saying

'men, family, children

are like tending to the garden.

First, you have to have good seed

and good dark earth.'

I used to help her tend the garden

on my Sunday visits-a patch in the

back of her house.

'Get a good fertilizer, find the right spot,

location matters in all this,

bad location

the family, the children, the wife, the men

don't do so good.

Plant the good seeds of decency.

Tell the truth, work hard,

don't get mean

and cynical,

love peace,

help your neighbor.

Simple, really.

Then you find what each plant needs.

Some like a lot of light

some like shade,

then afternoon or morning light,

Each is different.

And have to take the time

to find out what works for each.

And you water your damp ground

til that first little leaf comes up,

pokes up its little head

looking at the first light of its life,

of its first day.

That feels good.

And then you water it,

let it know it is welcome in this world,

that someone cares.

And you tend to it.

Keep the weeds away,

the ants and the snails,

and big feet trampling

and it grows,

til you have your first bud

that flowers,

and the branches get sturdy,

and supports more and more of the buds,

and then the early flowers,

and then the full blossomings.

Pretty soon you have your garden,

and you teach your kids,

and your grandkids how to keep

it flowering;

like that

generation after generation.

Of course you need the Son,

the Father too

and the Holy Ghost.