Monday, June 6, 2011

Young Jim

Through the years I have known a fair number of Jim's.

We buried one a few years ago. He was a prince. There is an extended family member with the name, and I probably would not use that term to describe him.

There is another Jim, one I might call Young Jim. He is about the same age as my grandson David. Jim and his wife Veronica just had their first child a couple of weeks ago. His life will never be the same.

Jim's philosophy of life is remarkable like my own. Money is not his goal, life is. He is a college grad, and is very curious, a wide range reader, and he is an avid gardner.

I have known his parents for a long time, his father was our assistant pastor for a decade, but it is through gardening that we have become friends. Jim's medium sized garden is an illustration of perfection. Raised beds, drip irrigation, plants well cared for and growing ahead of almost every one else's, including mine. It is beautiful.

So, yesterday he came to visit and he agreed to take on my garden spot as an extension of his space. From my point of view it gives eyes and feet on the place and keeps it all from going to seed and weed.

That makes me glad, and not so apprehensive of being gone. Juan watches the front of our place from his house, Terry the back from his house, and Jim looks after the garden. I can be gone and take care of Miriam with fewer qualms.

Jim's life will never be the same, with the birth of his son. My life is on a new trajectory. Neither of us know exactly where all of this is going, but that is how life works.

Shucks, if we really could see the future, it would take the fun our of life.

Maybe.

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