My Tomato Plant

My Tomato Plant

It truly is the simple things in life that brings one pleasure, in my case it is my, what began as little, tomato plant.

One Sunday a while back after mass, the Priest was giving out fruit and vegetable plants and asking parishioners to take them home and plant and care for them and return the crop to feed the hungry who gather for meals each week. Well of course I grabbed this darling little tomato plant. It said “take me, take me home, I will do well for you.” I heard it, really I did. My husband was somewhat reluctant, as we don’t have a garden or a yard, only a small patio. “Just where do you plan on planting that he said?’” “Oh, I’ll find a place, don’t worry.” He knows me by now; he just said that because he always says that.

Well upon returning home, as I cradled the seedling in my hands like a kitten on the way, he planted it in a pot, as I knew he would, and he has coddled and cared for it more than myself. I think it has brought out the speck of farmer in both of us. Each day it seems to spring up another inch or two, until now it’s is as tall as my 5’ self, and just laden with tiny green tomatoes. Each time I look out my kitchen window and see the grand plant on my oh so small patio, I gleam with pride and want to pat ourselves on the back. “We did it, we brought that little sprout into a full growth.” There really is such a joyous satisfaction watching something like a simple tomato plant burst forth fruit.

Now, these couple of months later, my dilemma is, do I really bring my crop back to the church? No one kept track or would know the difference, but I profess to be a good and honest Christian gal, yet I got quite attached and my heart is kinda wrapped around these little soon to be red critters. It will be hard to part with them, but I know I will do what is right, and I also know I will throw a few of those yummy fellers on a big summer salad before I leave the house.

Betty McCallister 6/15/10