all that i am

Daniel 13....
Susanna...in her gated garden
bathing away the heat of the day in the cool of her pool
looked upon with lust
then standing accused
with her parents, children and all her relatives....
standing along side her crying
praying

was Joachim just sitting there
watching
as his wife
and children and all those they loved
stood before him weeping

I stand in my garden
awakened by the first warmth of sun
toes pressed deeply into the dark brown earth
firm in something so familiar
since first standing
and then walking
and then playing digging planting

my father wore a suit and worked all his life as an engineer
but when I was little
he came home almost every evening...
and gardened
I loved being with him in the cool of the day
planting, watering, harvesting
he learned to love the garden from his parents
growing up in hawaii

my mother owned nurseries
which was more... hands in the dirt
than feet
but like my father before me
I have come to love being in the garden because of my two parents
even my little postage stamp sidewalk garden

I stand amongst what I have planted
and transplanted
from friends and family
who have given
abundantly and colorfully into my life
what returns to me year after year
reminding me
we have been here...we are still here

.....and I know where my husband is when I return inside
exhilarated and in awe
from the simple wonder of cool dirt between my toes
he stands
in our kitchen and completes my partial preparations for our dinner
and presents it steaming hot 
served with a salad...and a veggie
my devoted husband 
of 31 upcoming years