About Shared Tomatoes

This space began as a way for me to stay connected with other Spiritual Directors through writing, storytelling, and community. Over time, I discovered that writing is more than expression—it is prayer. Writing slows me down, sharpens my awareness, and reveals the quiet movement of God in my life. Storytelling then shapes those moments into wisdom, reminding me—and all of us—that we are never alone.

I have also come to see that this space is not only for Spiritual Directors. It is for friends—those I know and those I have yet to meet—because Jesus calls each of us “friends" (Jn 15:15). Shared Tomatoes has become more personal, with the hope of reaching beyond one circle into the wider community of followers.

I invite you to discover the gift of writing your own stories and finding ways to share them. In many ways, this is part of what it means to be a wisdom‑keeper, something we grow into, especially in our later years. Sharing our stories is, at heart, sharing ourselves—and it is never too early, and never too late, to begin.

Shared Tomatoes began with a simple gift. A friend from church, even after suffering a stroke, still found a way to share his homegrown tomatoes with us. His generosity reminded me that small offerings—whether a tomato or a kind word—can carry something sacred: connection, care, and community.

Like the “Duck Duck Jeep” movement, where strangers leave rubber ducks as tokens of goodwill, shared tomatoes point us toward us rather than me. They are everyday sacraments—ordinary gifts that reveal God’s abundance and invite us to live generously with one another. You can read the full story here

–Tim

I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 

(John 15:15)

If you would like to share your story on this site, you can contact me at tomato.dtu@gmail.com