I am back to reading Bonhoeffer. Whether for nostalgia or comfort, I don’t know. Perhaps when it feels like the world is falling in on itself, I am craving the other voices whose worlds had fallen almost a century ago.

There is a sign in my neighborhood that reads, “Plants Grow by the Inch and Die by the Foot.” It’s a gentle reminder that the city’s landscaping has been designed for water conservation. Growth takes a great deal of energy. It is slow going. It takes constant awareness and protection. With enough tending, the plants will grow with enough resilience so that no misplaced step will be a concern. But until then, new growth remains tenuous.