The Sunken Gardens

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” Psalm 8:3-4

 

Every time I visit the Sunken Gardens, here in Lincoln, I marvel at the gorgeous red and white blossoms that line the sidewalks. However, the sidewalks are very special, too. They are tiles, with the names of friends and loved ones who have passed away or needed to be honored.

My youngest son, Chris, has his own tile.  Chris died suddenly of blood poisoning at age 41. In John Keats” poem, Endynios, the hero says, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever. It will not pass into nothingness.”

At the bottom of the little valley is a large fish pond fiilled with koi, of many colors. And, of course, there are flowers everywhere, and the butterflies, bees, and birds are going wild at the feast before them.

Seeing this beautiful little valley that used to be a garbage dump, I am so grateful to the wonderful people of Lincoln who volunteer to plant, water, and care for this lovely garden.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for the beauty of the earth. Help us to be deserving of it and to use it wisely.

Gerry Draney