Lilies from a friend
The lilies that are now appearing in my gardens around my house were a gift last summer from an old friend from the sixties. I met this friend, usually called by his last name, Godsil, when we both students at St. Louis University 1965–67. We shared some classes and a concern about peace and justice.
Except for a brief encounter around 1969 or 70 when Godsil moved to Milwaukee, we did not see each other till after 1995 when I returned to Milwaukee. The last 10–14 years, till about a year ago, Godsil seemed to be everywhere in my life. He was the person that introduced me to Will Allen, Growing Power, worms, and to the wiki web design on Milwaukee Renaissance which led to this wiki web page of the nonviolentcow.org.
I knew him as a person that would start something new and then pass it on. However, about a year or so ago he and some others persons started Sweet Water Organics. Sweet Water Organics is sustainable urban farm, built around the aquaculture system of Growing Power.
About this time I stopped receiving his frequent emails, hearing his new ideas and about him from common friends. Perhaps the reason is that now he is grounded in this pioneering project in urban farming.
I see him occasionally now at events and one of the last times was last summer when he had received a major amount of lilies and was selling them as a fundraiser for Sweet Water Organics. I went over to his house to purchase some and he gave me many more to share and to plant in my gardens. Now in front of the vegetable garden on the front lawn, in the rain garden out front and in the backyard garden you will find beautiful yellow lilies booming. Besides blooming for a long period of time these lilies multiply. New ones are emerging by the old ones. Like worms or mint I now have more to share. They add beauty throughout the gardens.
I hope Godsil’s and my lives intertwine again. He has given me so much by his presence and friendship. He is the lilies that come up in the garden of my life bringing joy and beauty. He is a lily of a friend.
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