WITHERED

By Mohan Karulkar: Our land is dry right now. We were supposed to get rain tonight, but we didn't. The flowers in the front? Withered. The vegetables in the garden? Dying. We can water with the hose -- even the sprinkler -- but it dries up in a few hours. What we need is rain, and that's exactly what we aren't getting.

What we are getting is a freak hot spell, far too early in the year for Michigan.  Plants should be growing roots and taking hold, not fighting for survival.  What started as promising has turned into a long, dry, frustrating spell.

It's tempting to let discouragement enter our gardeners' hearts.  Wasted money and wasted time.  Another year gone by with lousy yield.

Another fight.

Another late bill.

Another rejection.

Another disappointment.mistake.compromise.betrayal.heartbreak.

Another brick in the wall.

But the thing is, even though those plants look like they're dying, they're actually withering on top to conserve water below.  They're holding out for better times, because better times always come.

Or at least I'd like to think so.

And besides, you are not a plant.  You are man, created in God's image.  You are loved.appreciated.missed.needed.noticed. And you were built for survival.

You were built for revival.

We believe in you.  We are you.  Together, we are People of the Second Chance.

(photo credit: Bert Kaufmann)