I know that you will one day die.
But I pledge myself
to nurture you
to the best of my inability
until that day arrives.
To place you in warm light
and cool soil,
to water and feed you faithfully
in moments when it is needed,
to be attentive to your needs
and the ways that you express them.
And,
most of all,
to love you.
To love the old growth
as much as the new sprouts.
To love the healthy parts for what they are,
and the unhealthy parts
for the effort and care you took
to grow them.
Finally,
I’ll love your entirety,
from deep root to tall leaf,
because loving
is an everlasting commitment
to growth.
So please,
give me Grace as I fail
to love you perfectly,
and even as I hurt you.
Though it is not my intention,
I cannot avoid my iniquity.
May we strive together
to see true life in one another
for as long as we both shall live.