What a great day

by Stephen T Holdenried on Saturday, May 7, 2011 at 4:24pm

You never know who is listening! I was at the park today near my home. It is a piece of land about 110 feet by 130 feet on a corner, lot just a half block from my home. Eight years ago, I worked with a group of kids from my neighborhood to build a flower park with benches, statues, a patio, trees and a grand entry-way to the park. In the last few years, I have been buying, planting and keeping up the park mainly by myself.

 

Today, I was getting the park cleaned up and make it ready for planting tomorrow, when my grand-kids will plant flowers at a 7 foot high Angel in the park (dedicated to my late wife) and another spot dedicated to Don Guss, my deceased son-in-law.

I was tired and just worn out but I had one more task to do. I started to do it but,instead, I sat down on one of the benches. I was feeling a little sad because nobody seems to care to help work on the park anymore and I thought “where are the people in the neighborhood?”. I was feeling sorry for myself.

 

I decided to just pack thinks up, not spray for the weeds and decided I would do it tomorrow. At the same moment, I heard a car stop and two kids get out. They came running over to the park yelling “can we help, please ?”. Then another kid came over and he too wanted to help.

These kids were in the 4th and 3rd grade but they said they really wanted to help, like their sister or brother did years ago. Then, one of the kids said he was 3 years old and he pointed out a brick that he swears he helped put up!

 

Well, they worked about a half hour then finished up and I scheduled a time next week for them to come back and help me plant some flowers. When they left - Josephine, Andrew and Joe said they have always wanted to help because they love the park. They all said it is a great place to sit and talk to their friends and it is just a nice place in the neighborhood.

Well, that is what the kids 8 years ago wanted to do for the neighborhood and it is still a great place to sit and look at the flowers. 8 years ago, these kids were just 3 or 4 but they remember me and the park and want to continue where their older siblings left off.

Thank you kids for lifting my spirits!