scribblings from a deist transhumanist libertarian minarchist citizen soldier

The janitor and his sunflowers

Posted by Trevor in under other on May 15th, 2006 | View Comments |

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There is a janitor who works here in the building where I perform my duties as the MNF-Iraq.com webmaster. In the world of concrete and metal that surrounds us, this quiet, humble man has begun planting sunflowers. He plants them in pots, and in unused patches of dirt. I see him carefully tending his garden of green shoots several times a day in between his bathroom cleaning, mopping and sundry other duties.

This man braves danger every day when he comes to work. If I took his picture and posted it here, he would probably disappear soon after. The insurgents are not merciful to those who work with the fledgling Iraqi government, and are even less willing to tolerate the presence of men and women who cooperate with the coalition forces.

When I see my Iraqi friend tending to his sunflowers, I feel hope. All around this man, his country is in turmoil. Yet he gets out of bed every day, goes to his job and does not complain. He takes the time to plant new life and tends it carefully. He is not an important man. Most of the people who he deals with probably never give him a second thought.

I do.

I see Iraq’s future in this man, this gentle soul who cleans up the messes made by other people and who quietly tends his sunflowers amid the concrete fortress where we work. I’ll call my friend the Iraqi janitor Ali. It is a good Iraqi name. Ali gives me hope in the face of all those prophecying doom and gloom for the future of this nation. And I hope that, by treating him with respect and friendship, I am giving him hope as well. He will be here, dealing with this war long after I have returned home to my wife, the comfort of an easy American existence and the plehora of advantages we tend to take for granted in our land of peace and prosperity.

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  • SK
    Terrific, hopeful post.
  • alisa
    That was beautiful.

    If you ever get the opportunity to talk to the janitor tell him someone from the Sunflower State, says, "hello! the flowers are gorgeous."
  • Mary*Ann
    "When you have a garden you have a future and when you have a future you are alive" F.H. Burnett The Secret Garden

    I've always thought gardens give hope.
    You and Ali give me hope.
  • Donna, Los Osos, CA
    I'm sure that you give Ali hope as well. Bless you.

    At least it's dry heat?? Take care.

    Donna
  • Dinah Lord
    A wonderful post - thank you. Thanks too, for your service to our country.

    May God bless you and keep you safe.

    Stay cool!
    Dinah
  • Kitanis
    Good comment.

    Despite what goes on in this world and on the news.. there is simply life going on all around us.

    Its nice to be reminded of such things
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