Plant and Warm Summer Breeze Essay

Submitted By cdewitt83
Words: 804
Pages: 4

Finding Faith
The warm summer breeze whispered its way down the grassy foothills and through the trees. Rays from the afternoon sun saturated the pavement. The fresh green grass danced in the wind until one piece grazed my sweaty cheek awakening me from a day-dream. The reality set in that I was imprisoned by the dreadful cast around my leg while still sitting on the bench watching the other fifth graders have an enjoyable recess. The annoying sounds of a few fourth grade boys picking on me, (knowing that I was not able to chase after them), sent me on a mission for another location to continue my day-dream. I gazed upon the sad bed of weeds that we called our garden in the corner of the playground-that’s where I found her.
Impossible to miss the prominently perched red bow she sported, I hobbled closer to get a better look. She was the girl from the other fifth grade class named Faith. I did not see her very much around school and the word was that she was always sick and was not allowed outdoors for recess. I remembered that our class made a big “Get Well” card for her because she missed an entire month of school. I hopped down a step closer until she turned her head toward me. She looked so fragile that even the slightest movement could break her. Her skin was pale and looked colorless and frigid as ice. Dark depressing circles surrounded her eyes. She look sick--the kind of sick one does not want to remember--yet she still had a mesmerizing smile fixed on her face that could turn your worst day around. “Hi, I’m Faith,” she squeaked in a high pitched voice. “Hi," I said, "what are you doing in this dump by yourself?” I had no sarcasm in my voice. I really felt like we were standing in a hopeless garden. “It’s my last day at school and I want to plant these seeds so by next summer this garden will be full of beautiful flowers.” Faith pointed at the empty beds. Confused I asked, “Why would you want to plant flowers if you’re leaving and never going to be able to see them?” She continued, “Because wherever I go I’ll always have a part of this garden with me.” At the time I didn’t understand what she meant but I picked up a shovel and helped Faith plant the seeds. The reality is that she was teaching me a life lesson I have never forgotten: Plant the seeds of faith every day.
For a young girl, she spoke as though she had already grown up and experienced everything an old soul experiences. It seemed like we talked for hours. As we planted, she told me stories of her family and how much they meant to her. She spoke of the sky, trees, grass, and flowers as if nature could speak to her telling their own stories that only she could hear. Her honest and open way of sharing made me feel that running through the wind; swimming on a hot summer day; and, planting seeds with a new friend