Monday, April 6, 2009


Today I had a chance to go back to "grounds for healing", the little healing garden for kids.
The fellow herbalism student that came with me today, tried to come to the garden last week but was sent away, was not allowed in the school or on the property because there was a "lock down" in progress. There had been a violent threat to the school or a student, or something like that.

It has been many many weeks since I have been there and things have changed since then. It is April and things have begun to grow (including the weeds) but there was hope, I could see it in the flowers that had bloomed at the base of the trees.
School was in session and the kids watched from afar Curious and wondering who we were and what we were doing, were we nice enough to approach or ???

Eventually a couple of little boys probably about 8 or nine years of age approached us and asked if they could come into the garden.
Their faces up against the metal bars, their big brown eyes peering in at us.
They asked several times, each time it was harder to say no. They were diligent and determined to come into the garden with us.
I wanted to let them in but we are not allowed to be alone with the children. We are volunteers, not social workers or teachers or affiliated with the school in anyway.We have to keep the gate locked to keep them out while we are there, it is sad to me but I completely understand too.
I suggested that they ask their teacher so that I would not have to say "no" any more.

Later 3 little girls found enough courage to come and ask too. Unfortunately, we had to send them away also. The girls with the same dark brown eyes as the boys, watching intently. The girls all in skirts and long dark hair with friendly little smiles on their faces. Small delicate hands clasping the bars,It was obvious to me how these children loved this garden, I felt honored to be cleaning it up for them.

The kids get to paint on the walls at the school and have painted some really adorable pictures.

1 comment:

  1. oh my god. this is amazing. i am so loving your pieces about this paradise to be. you have such good work to do here!!!

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