Freedom Comes With Grace and with Grace Comes Inner Peace

When I water the locust trees, the white ash, the silver maples and the maiden rain tree I am smothering them, washing them, bathing them in tender moist air that drips down and forms a canopy of a micro climate underneath. This spurs the mother or every living thing, the fungus. All around I am spawning the Garden of Eden all over again. Underneath the leaf matter is a carpet of nematodes, worms, nits and sow bugs chewing up the fungus that spreads below the carpet of snow in the meadow, pouring over the edges of the sidewalks. The fecundity of life is abundant and the responsibility for nurturing life. Nowhere is this more evident than in the care and nature of the gardener. I am the caretaker of the design of nature, which prospers as much as anything in my hands. Without abundant love and satisfaction none of this is possible. This feeling "grace" grants abundant nurturing and commitment. It is as a newborn child to a mother, a cradle of hollowed ground.

Freedom is not sought by birthright and peace does not come to one with open arms. Clear and open embrace of any other is required and commitments to the other as well as one’s own inner determination are prerequisites for peace and justice.

Too many times throughout the course of American history and especially in the rough and tumble weed torn whistle stops of the frontier west manners called for fighting and determination of industry before companionship and accommodation. Virtue was shown by grit and courage, forbearance and cunning. Every one was called to lift up their head, slough through the pain and tumult without concern for the results of one's neighbors. Bonds were born from toughness and friendships were sought only where the person was deemed of value, worthy, righteous, and possessed with the values of American know how.

What was forged in the finite work of generation upon generation of self sufficient and determined pioneers gave way to justice by order and servitude of the destitute for the generous crumbs that awaited them when they fell from the table of the community. Community chests like the United Fund were born upon the backs of the poor and dehumanizing work of the backbone of America. While wealth was accumulated and horded, people starved to death or became ill and perished building the great institutions of the wild frontier. Literally we lived on our back, and stooped low to create squatter’s camps and missions to convey the needs of the bulk of America.

Human beings all seek comfort and care like weeds they grow where they wish and where there is light, water, nourishment, love, abundant air and space. We must begin to recognize the freedom of caring for others and the dependency of one another in order to flourish. With the desire to care for all others comes peace, inside inner peace from the wisdom of care complete and unrequited. This is the legacy of having people to love. It is a requirement that frees us to love fiercely. When everything fails this love will fulfill us in the darkest nights and moments of our creative spirit. We will share everything and be happy knowing that in this mere mortal life we have brought eternal calm and restored dignity to those who suffered for all time.