Watering…

Bob’s got a huge back yard with a dozen raised beds planted with tomatoes, onions, squash, peppers, and berries. Bob made all the beds himself and faithfully cares for the plants, spending up to an hour every day watering them in the summer heat of central Oregon.

I don’t get it. I installed a $50 device that I can program to automatically water all my plants without me even being home. Every so often I check to make sure the tomatoes and peppers look bigger and the leaves are still green, but sometimes I go days without a checkup.

But every time I visit Bob, he claims he really enjoys his watering time. For him it’s meditative, and less a chore than a choice. If he put in an automatic watering system something wouldn’t be the same.

I think, once again, that I have something to learn from Bob. His care for his plants is simply a reflection of the way he cares for his friends, family, and the thousand of students he has had over the years. Daily nurturing. Close attention to each one. Extra love and support when needed. Not a chore.

So if you join us on the Walk, prepare to experience not only Bob’s care and kindness but his remarkable attention to those around him. I just wish he would also bring some bags of blueberries with him: