Carl's Garden: Please Read

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> >>Carl's Garden

> >Carl was a quiet man. He didn't talk much. He would always greet

> >you with a big smile and a firm handshake. Even after living in our

> >neighborhood for over 50 years, no one could really say they knew

> >him very well.

> >Before his retirement, he took the bus to work each morning

> >The lone sight of him walking down the street often worried us.

> >He had a slight limp from a bullet wound received in WWII.

> >Watching him, we worried that although he had survived WWII,

> >he may not make it through our changing uptown neighborhood

> >with its ever-increasing random violence, gangs, and drug activity.

> >

> >When he saw the flyer at our local church asking for volunteers for

> >caring for the gardens behind the minister's residence, he responded

> >in his characteristically un-assuming manner. Without fanfare, he just

> >signed up.

> >He was well into his 87th year when the very thing we had always

> >feared finally happened. He was just finishing his watering for the

> >day when three gang members approached him.  Ignoring their

> >attempt to intimidate him, he simply asked,

> > " Would you like a drink from the hose? "

> >The tallest and toughest-looking of the three said, " Yeah, sure " ,

> >with a malevolent little smile. As Carl offered the hose to him,

> >the other two grabbed Carl's arm, throwing him down. As the

> >hose snaked crazily over the ground, dousing everything in its

> >way, Carl's assailants stole his retirement watch and his wallet,

> >and then fled. Carl tried to get himself up, but he had been

> >thrown down on his bad leg.

> >He lay there trying to gather himself as the minister came running

> >to help him. Although the minister had witnessed the attack from

> >his window,  he couldn't get there fast enough to stop it. " Carl,

> >are you okay? Are you hurt? " the minister kept asking as he

> >helped Carl to his feet. Carl just  passed a hand over his brow

> >and sighed, shaking his head. " Just some punk kids. I hope

> >they'll wise-up someday. " His wet clothes clung to his slight

> >frame as he bent to pick up the hose. He adjusted the nozzle

> >again and started to water. Confused and a little concerned,

> >the minister asked, " Carl, what are you doing? "

> > " I've got to finish my watering. It's been very dry lately " , came

> >the calm reply. Satisfying himself that Carl really was all right,

> >the minister could only marvel.  Carl was a man from a different

> >time and place.

> >A few weeks later the three returned. Just as before their threat

> >was unchallenged. Carl again offered them a drink from his hose.

> >This time they didn't rob him. They wrenched the hose from his

> >hand and drenched him head to foot in the icy water.  When they

> >had finished their humiliation of him, they sauntered off down the

> >street, throwing catcalls and curses, falling over one another

> >laughing at the hilarity of what they had just done.

> >Carl just watched them. Then he turned toward the warmth giving

> >sun, picked up his hose, and went on with his watering.

> >The summer was quickly fading into fall. Carl was doing some

> >tilling when he was startled by the sudden approach of someone

> >behind him. He stumbled and  fell into some evergreen branches.

> >As he struggled to regain his footing, he turned to see the tall

> >leader of his summer tormenters reaching down for him.

> >He braced himself for the expected attack. " Don't worry old man,

> >I'm not gonna hurt you this time. " The young man spoke softly,

> >still offering the tattooed and scarred hand to Carl.

> >As he helped Carl get up, the man pulled a crumpled bag from his

> >pocket and handed it to Carl.

> > " What's this? " Carl asked.

> > " It's your stuff, " the man explained. " It's your stuff back. Even

> >the money in your wallet. "

> > " I don't understand, " Carl said. " Why would you help me now? "

> >The man shifted his feet, seeming embarrassed and ill at ease.

> > " I learned something from you " , he said. " I ran with that gang and

> >hurt people like you.

> >We picked you because you were old and we knew we could do it.

> >But every time we came and did something to you, instead of

> >yelling and fighting back, you tried to give us a drink. You didn't

> >hate us for hating you. You, kept showing love against our hate. "

> >He stopped for a moment. " I couldn't sleep after we stole your

> >stuff, so here it is back. " He paused for another awkward moment,

> >not knowing what more there was to say.

> > " That bag's my way of saying thanks for straightening me out,

> >I guess. "   And with that, he walked off down the street.

> >Carl looked down at the sack in his hands and gingerly opened it.

> >He took out his retirement watch and put it back on his wrist.

> >Opening his wallet, he checked for his wedding photo. He gazed

> >for a moment at the young bride that still smiled back at him

> >from all those years ago.

> >He died one cold day after Christmas that winter. Many people

> >attended his funeral in spite of the weather. In particular the

> >minister noticed a tall young man that he didn't know sitting

> >quietly in a distant corner of the church. The minister spoke

> >of Carl's garden as a lesson in life. In a voice made thick with

> >unshed tears, he said, " Do your best and make your garden

> >as beautiful as you can. We will never forget Carl and his

> >garden. "

> >The following spring another flyer went up. It read: " Person needed

> >to care for Carl's garden. " The flyer went unnoticed by the busy

> >parishioners until one day when a knock was heard at the

> >minister's office door. Opening the door, the minister saw a pair

> >of scarred and tattooed hands holding the flyer.

> >I believe this is my job, if you'll have me, " the young man said.

> >The minister recognized him as the same young man who had returned

> >the stolen watch and wallet to Carl. He knew that Carl's kindness had

> >turned this man's life around. As the minister handed him the keys to

> >the garden shed, he said, " Yes, go take care of Carl's garden and honor

> >him. "

> >The man went to work and, over the next several years, he tended

> >the flowers and vegetables just as Carl had done. In that time, he

> >went to college, got married, and became a prominent member

> >of the community. But he never forgot his promise to Carl's memory

> >and kept the garden as beautiful as he thought Carl would have kept it.

> >

> >One day he approached the new minister and told him that he

> >couldn't care for the garden any longer. He explained with a shy

> >and happy smile, " My wife just had a baby boy last night, and

> >she's bringing him home on Saturday. "

> >Well, congratulations! " said the minister, as he was handed the

> >garden shed keys. " That's wonderful! What's the baby's name? "

> >

> > " Carl, " he replied.

> >

> >Take 60 seconds give this a shot!

> >All you do is

> >1. Simply say a small prayer for the person who sent you this,

> >    (Father  God bless this person in whatever it is that You know

> >     he or she say be needing this day!

> >

> >2. Then send it on to five other people. Within hours five people

> >    have prayed for you, and you caused a  multitude of people to

> >    pray to God for other people.  Then sit back and  watch the

> >    power of God work in your life for doing  the thing that you

> >    know He loves.

> >