Milton*

Guard your heart. Keep it open.

Don’t let anyone shut the door.

Tend the soil. Till it tender.

Compost summons to go to war.

Say yes to the electric liturgy of green

giggling up into beans and okra.

Say yes to the adventure of multiplying

food on your neighbor’s table.

Say yes to God the Community Gardener

whose temple sweats and smiles,

and plows toward another harvest.

*I see Milton at work in his church’s community garden almost every morning. He recently told me that he is almost 93!

When I asked him what his secret was to such a long life, he smiled and pointed to his garden.

“Growing something beautiful?” I asked.

He nodded and said, “And giving it away.”

I thought that was one of the most profound Gospel sermons I’ve ever heard.