Taking a walk on a nearby street, something jumped at me.
While the front
lawns of houses had various degrees of gardening care, all were lovely in their
own way. But then, the public sidewalk swatches of earth, for the most part,
bore no hint of care. Nature and its weeds reigned, as they do where we humans
do nothing.
Here is what most
of the sidewalk spaces looked like—
Understandable.
After all, that swatch is not private property. Why put an effort to weed,
plant, and maintain when it isn’t even yours? You might even find the natural
growths charming.
What struck me wasn’t the rule, but the exception. Here and there, the hand of
a passionate gardener spilled over to the public sidewalk in front of their
property. Like so—
At least for me,
the sight of orderly loveliness buoyed the heart. Less for the undeniable aesthetic
of it, but for something else. It was the recognition that here lives a person who in their daily life
goes above and beyond what is required, expected, or aligns with the surrounding
convention.
I think life is
like that. Some people always do more. I am humbled and grateful, for they hold
up the rest of the network that is humanity and keep the rest of us from rappelling down.
Respect. 🙇
6 comments:
It's nice to see some people who do more. I appreciate them, too.
I suspect you are one of the folks who go above and beyond, Kelly
I appreciate this too, so much.
'Twas ever thus: some people give 165% and others give 10% or nothing at all. Thank goodness there are enough people who care to make a difference, so obvious when comparing the two photos.
Yes, some people definitely brighten the spot where they are and make the world a better place for all whose lives they touch.
I used to keep what I called a "curb garden" in the space between sidewalk and street in front of our G Street house. I really enjoyed that space - and neighbors did, too. It wasn't that hard to maintain, either. I just had to keep trimming it.
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