If the world would end tomorrow. . .

"I'd plant a tree."

So said Martin Luther.

So on a day when nothing was certain and I couldn't do a thing about it-

I went and bought a bunch of bright pink flowers.

and dug out the weeds and cacti from the third floor flower box at the new building with my Thai coworkers Angkhana and Nong.

We had to fight back years of deep, angry roots. The more I thought about the beautiful, tender little flowers that were going to live in this soil- the more I hated those roots of bitterness. When my 30 baht shovel bent- I attacked them with my bare hands. No way would they win- and live to entangle and choke our flowers. As I was hanging over the balcony overlooking the seedy Karaoke bars that surrounded me, I realized this is what we are doing. Yes, my hands were covered in dirt instead of flour, but it's the same battle. And it's the same hope that plants and waters and prays please grow little flowers- grow strong.
I can't think of a better way to start this new project.