Every year my wife and I try to visit beautiful green spaces. Some are pricey tourist attractions, some are pristine protected nature preserves, while others are hidden gems with amazing back- stories. Our own garden is right now under a foot of snow and every day we look out with hopeful anticipation knowing that in a few months hundreds of tulips and crocuses are waiting to mark the start of our own gardening season.
One of my new favourite children’s books is “The Curious Garden” by Peter Brown. It is a simple and beautifully illustrated story about a boy who lives in a concrete city devoid of gardens. One day he finds a few plants growing along an old abandoned rail line and he decides to help them along with a home made watering can and a little love. His adventurous spirit brings him back every day, his caring heart drives him to learn more about his flowers and treat them well, and his persistence pays off. Soon the garden begins to grow and spread. First it moves up the rail tracks, then down the wall, then through the city. The growing garden brings out new gardeners who step into the adventure with their own care and persistence, and then eventually the city is full of life. Birds, butterflies, picnics, friendships, and goodness follow wherever the garden goes.
What I love about this story is that one boy, with no particular training as a gardeners, begins an adventurous pursuit. He stumbles on something beautiful and does something meaningful with it. He is not a professional nor does he have a plan. He simply responds to a surprise and great things happen. Soon others join in and a whole community is changed.
But the boy in the story thinks that his garden is dead when one day he wakes up to find that snow has covered everything. When the snow melts he is surprised to see the garden spring back to life and grow again. Throughout the story we see this boy secretly planting flowers, giving plants away, weeding out some plants and nurturing others. His adventure might be slow growing, but his sense of enthusiasm is alive and infectious.
Every day we pass small signs of growth. Schools, churches, community groups, parks, new families, and small businesses are all putting down roots in our city. Each day we choose to either walk past these small and tender shoots, or we can stop and engage in a new adventure. We can choose to step out and help bring life in ways we cannot plan for, and often we cannot easily foresee the outcome. Yet I have learned that when life begins to sprout and our communities and neighbourhoods thrive, allies and friends emerge to help.
We are a city that is learning to gather around new life and nurture it along. We take risks and step out bravely to make small things great. Where do you see small signs of life where you live? How might you be called to do something courageous about it? Where does your neighbourhood adventure begin?
