Muleshoe and I picked our first vegetables this Father's Day weekend. We brought in
a bunch of okra, tomatoes, a zucchini and a very large white cucumber.
He had a ball tip-toeing through the plants and picking the ripe
vegetables, learning to tell the difference between what is ready and
what needs a little more time. All of my hard work is starting to pay off.
While out there, I was thinking that gardening and fatherhood are very much alike. There's lots of hard work, rough spots and times when you wonder whether what you're doing is right or will make a difference in the end. You question yourself and your faith falters a little. You sometimes look backwards and wonder what could have been if things had happened differently. But, ultimately, you make your choices as best you can, give near-constant love and attention, and look forward to the day when those choices turn into what they were meant to be.
I love spending time in my garden. It's relaxing and I like what it produces. But it doesn't compare to the satisfaction I get from being a father. Because tending to Muleshoe is the most important gardening job I'll ever have.
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