Cherry Tree
This Tuesday, the second full day of summer, we had our somewhat regular faith sharing sessions at a the home of a friend who is dying and in hospice care. Another friend dying was too ill and near death to be there. We called him on the phone at the end of the session and passed the phone around. Faith sharing with two persons close to death is an unusual and graced-filled event. This morning, at the suggestion of our host, we talked about our personal experiences of death.
One of the persons at these regular gatherings, who is active in school issues, invited me over to his nearby house to check out his garden of flowers, shrubs and trees. In his backyard he had a cherry tree full of cherries ready to be picked. He told me that this particular cherry tree was a second reincarnation of an earlier one in the same area. In fact this tree had sprouted some young seedlings that were growing. He asked me if I wanted one and I said yes.
A tree behind my rain garden and next to my neighbor’s driveway had died. We planted another young tree there but it too had died. So as soon as I got home I planted this young cherry tree tenderly in the spot. I pray and hope it takes root.
This evening when I took this picture there were signs of life and death on the young tree. I guess I will know more in a few days. A couple of neighboring young children were playing in the driveway when I took the picture. I told them that I had planted a cherry tree. They both told me they liked cherries. I told them that, hopefully, when they grew up the cherry tree will grow and one day they could pick cherries.
My two friends are facing death with dignity and acceptance. Unlike the two young children they will not be around if the tree grows and flourishes. Let’s pray the tree grows and my friends die in peace.
Comments
(:commentboxchrono:)