The blessings of recovery can be found in many things. Of course there are the obvious blessings such as enjoying good health, or having our families back, or no longer being entangled in legal problems. But I also find blessings in little things.

For example, for fifteen years I've driven the same route to my office. About half way there, at a fairly busy intersection, there's a three acre plot that hasn't succumbed to the encroachments of the city. It is surrounded by housing projects, apartment buildings, and small businesses.

For some reason the owner of the property has never sold out to developers who might prize such a key location. Instead he operates a small farm on the site, where each year he grows at least two crops of corn. On my short commute I can watch the year-round progress of the crops. Part of the year the field is covered with stubble. At other times a tractor will be passing back and forth as the land is being readied for the next crop. Sometimes a worker with a shovel will be at the irrigation ditch at the edge of the field making sure water is released into each furrow. Then for several weeks there will be a dark green field of six feet tall cornstalks. Later signs will appear reading, "Ear Corn For Sale."

For some reason I find this cycle of preparation, growth, and harvest refreshing. Not only is the field of thing of beauty but for that moment I can slow down and enjoy the farm a mile from the city center. I can admire the patience that goes into producing and harvesting the corn crop.

At one time I used to wonder about the farmer's motives. Was he holding the land until he could get a higher price? Was there some tax benefit for using the property as a farm? Today I realize that none of that is important.

What's important is for me to enjoy this small farm in the middle of the city.