The Garden

I stood looking at a garden

It was overgrown and wild--

Tall grass mixed with flowering thistles,

Dandelions, milkweed and nettles.

It all seemed a sad sight to see.

“This is not how it was meant to be.

This is not the plan I had in mind.

This was all meant to be beautiful.

This was all meant to be useful.”

The king behind me sadly explained.

“What happened to this garden?

Why are there so many weeds?

How could it have come to be like this?

Where were you when these weeds were growing?”

I spoke in an accusing voice with barely a glance at him.

He looked at me for a long time

I had just accused a king of slothfulness.

In my mind I knew he would be angry

I tried to insolently meet his gaze but—

But then I looked away, wounded by his sorrow.

“Yes, you gave me this garden to rule,

You said it would be mine forever.

You were the caretaker, my word was suppose to be law,

But then you went and did it all your own way.

This garden is your life, and this is how it looks.

I looked away from my king.

I gazed around the garden ruins.

Yes, I remembered the day he spoke of when I gave it all to him

I remembered agreeing to be the caretaker of what he’d planted

But then I had become distracted and lost my focus.

The path to the heart of the garden was overgrown

The fountain was all but fried up

The rose trellis no longer served its purpose, it was broken

The herbs and useful things were almost choked away

Everything he’d placed in here was breaking or left to rot.

“I know what you do when you think you are alone.

I know what distractions have busied your mind.

Turn now from these things, you know they are wrong,

Turn now before it is too late and all here is lost.

Then together we can rebuild this garden again.

Even though his voice was soft and tender

The warning could clearly be heard in his tone

I looked around, suddenly feeling very lost.

The corruption here was surely too deep to be removed.

Standing there I started feeling so very alone.

“Are you listening to me, you stubborn child?

Turn back to me and you are not lost!

Stay at me side and you will not be alone!

I said we will build this back up together.

Would you just stop doubting me?”

Slowly I turned back towards my king

He said he knew all I have been doing

I was afraid to look up into his face,

I was afraid of what I would see in his eyes.

How could be love me when willfully I disobeyed?

“Look to me, child, look and see.

With me you have no reason to fear.

With me you have no reason to doubt.

Yes, your disobedience makes me angry,

But you are my child; just come back!”

Finally I looked fully into his eyes

The fear and doubt in me melted away.

In his eyes there was love and peace.

I felt at once just how much he truly loved me.

I saw the forgiveness just waiting to be accepted.

Now I stand and look at a garden

Though it is better it is still far from perfect.

Together he and I are daily at work in the garden.

I have no doubt that it will someday be

The garden and life he had planned for me.