Homage to the Homeless Souls of New York City

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Cry, my beloved city for the homeless souls on the streets where you live.
(22x38 - Cut designer paper and photographs; hundreds of pieces.)

The 5th Day of the First Week of the Last Month of the Year 2017

A little boy was given a seed by his mom to plant in her vegetable garden.

Let’s say – a tomato seed.

The little boy gleefully planted his seed and watched over the patch 

of ground with tender care – watering and watching each day 

with childlike anticipation and great expectation for a sign 

of the tomato plant to push up from the soil.

Days and what seemed an awfully long time to the boy went by

with no sign of the plant’s growth.

So he dug up the earth where the seed had been planted – 

to see what had happened to his prized seed. 

Why hadn’t the seed grown he wondered?

Well, lo and behold! In the midst of the soil was a sprouted seed 

with thin spindly roots jetting out and taking root.  

The little boy jumped for joy at this marvelous revelation. 

He hurriedly re-buried the seed, careful not to harm a smidgeon of the seedling.

Over the next days, each morning he went out into the garden 

to check on his seed, watering it and hovering over it like a mother hen – 

knowing that soon – a sign would appear and a sprout would come forth 

heralding his seed had turned into the beginning of his awaited tomato plant.

And suddenly early one morning there it was – 

a stem rising up out of the earth soil.   Ah... the little boy was overjoyed. 

His plant continued to grow strong and sturdy under his careful tending

and it grew to bear delicious fresh fruit for the supper table. 

All the family marveled at the bounty from his small tomato seed.

NOTE the lessons here.  Even when you can’t see it, the seeds 

which you plant are taking root.

Tending the soil is pertinent – giving nurturing care is a requirement – 

with hope and anticipation that your seeds planted in fertile ground 

will bear fruit and you shall reap the rewards of your labor. 

No matter how long the time seems long.

By the way the little boy in the story was my friend James Lee. 

I may have taken a few liberties in telling his story, 

but he has never forgotten the teaching,

and it is seemly that God would give him the revelatory sowing lesson of seed week.

Thank You Father for Your bountiful gifts.