The Seed becomes a Presidential Rose

As parents it is all too easy to lose sight of our goals. We invest so much of ourselves into our commitment to our children that we can easily become annoyed when they misbehave. Underneath our frustration, I believe, is the fear that our work is for nothing.

We need to "take the long view," as my husband tells me. The seeds that we plant today will not germinate tomorrow. It will take many tomorrows until we have the opportunity, with G-d’s help, to reap the harvest.

Today, Inauguration Day 2009, we bear witness to the fruit of one family's labor.

This poem, written by a child, is dedicated to Barack Obama's mother and grandmother, who were instrumental in setting the stage for his appearance as the first black U.S.president.

Do you remember, Mommy
When I was little;
I wanted to grow a garden full of roses.
You told me to start with one flower.
So I gathered
The pot
The soil
The seed.
I carefully placed the seed in the pot
And proudly put the pot on the windowsill.
But the seed won't grow,
I came to you crying.
You told me to water it and place it in the sun.
Do you remember, Mommy
How excited I was
When the first shoots came up?
But I wondered, where was the flower
And I came to you crying once more.
You told me to have patience.
So I watered it and waited.
I waited some more.
Then one day I saw a tiny white bud
Peeping out from behind a leaf.
Fascinated, I watched it blossom
The petals unfold.
And there, in all its glory, was my long awaited rose.