HUMAN FLOWERS

Easter was observed early this year with snow still showing around our community and, whether child, mom, dad, granny or grandpa, our thoughts were filled with the sadness and, yes, the beauty of Easter.

Today, with sadness all around us, we still looked forward to a memorable Easter Sunday with its newness and beauty. We shared the beauty of the flowers that are seen all around us, such as lilies, tulips and hyacinths, and also the human flowers within our families, along with the human flowers we meet as we travel along life's daily highways.

One human flower along my life's highway is Mrs. Ann Mells, a former Springfield beautician who is now a senior activist and foster grandparent. Other human flowers are Dora Robinson, Catherine Perez, Robert and Esther Thompson, Renee Jenkins and Barbara Walker, extraordinary and knowledgeable clerks found in the Springfield Assessor's office at City Hall.

In my church home, Gardner Memorial A.M.E. Zion, some of the human flowers are Gwen Levy, Geraldine Charles and Raymond Bullock, the Men's Chorale Director and Soloist. In my music world, there are many flowers in Springfield's Freedom Choir, including coordinators Mrs. Velma Brown and Mrs. Josephine Fullilove, along with the choir members who come from various churches throughout the Springfield community. This choir has been blooming in the music world for over 30 years.

During our recent Easter season, some of our African American Senior Citizen flowers were remembered, such as Jeanette Hurst of Saab Court, Catherine Perez of Independence House, along with Roger Williams, an activist at the Mason-Wright campus, and James Bolden. Those living in Highland House, Girard Avenue, Van Der Hayden, Katherine Jones Housing, Hunter Place and Reeds Landing, just to name a few of the community housings where some of my beautiful human flowers reside, are still blooming.

I also think of the human buds around, such as my grandson, Minor Stewart Loving, and his son and my great-grandson, Minor Anthony Loving, III, now living in Fort Worth, Texas, along with Nahsaly Torres and Nichole Russell, the granddaughter and daughter of Joyce M. Wilson. In addition, I have found special human flowers in a newly formed karate class last fall at the Mind, Body and Spirit studio of Leo Williams located at 18 Maple Street, Springfield.

After celebrating the rebirth of our faith this Easter, we are looking for continued sunshine along our pathways of life. So, I said a prayer for you today.

I Said A Prayer for You Today

I said a prayer for you today

and knew God must have heard,

I felt the answer in my heart

although He spoke no word.

I didn't ask for wealth or fame,

I knew you wouldn't mind,

I asked him to send treasures

of a far lasting kind.

I asked for happiness for you

in all things great and small

But it was for His living caress

I prayed the most.

By Frank Zamboni