This week I went Strawberry picking, which is one of may favorite Oregony things to do. I haven’t gone in years! And as I was driving home with my couple pounds of strawberries what I realized is I haven’t gone strawberry picking for 2 reasons. One is that growing up we always picked lots and lots of berries for my mom to make jam. So in my mind to go strawberry picking meant you needed to pick lots of berries. My family doesn’t really like strawberries and I don’t make jam, so picking lots of berries doesn’t make sense for our family. The other is that strawberry picking is something I’ve always done with other people. It’s a group activity. Now seeing as how my family doesn’t really like strawberries, going together to pick berries has only happened once.
On Monday my intention was to pick up some berries from Topaz Farm on Sauvie Island, but they were closed. I decided to go for a drive on the island as I had some time and it is such a lovely place. Before long I cam across a big strawberry on a sign and decided to follow the arrow, leading me to a u-pick farm. I was not wearing muddy field clothes, but I decided since I was already there I would go ahead, and I am so glad that I did. It was such fun finding the gorgeous ripe berries, sampling the differences between hoods and shuksans, and stopping in my hunt to watch the sky and hear the bird song.
I was a little embarrassed about my measly two pounds when the woman in front of me paid for her 63 pounds, but the cashier responded to my self-deprecating humor with grace and I began to realize that 2 pounds is fine and no one was judging me! I sighed a happy sigh as I snacked on my hastily washed berries and realized that the reasons holding me back from this summer activity weren’t good enough anymore.
And I began to wonder how many rules and reasons are in my head, restricting my joy and limiting my growth. And how it’s good enough to go by myself. It’s good enough to just pick a few berries. Life is good enough to live it.
Our parish is good enough. It’s not as big as some. Not as wealthy as others. And yet I see life changing love, recognize spiritual maturing occurring, and find beautiful life in our shared experience. Our community is good enough and as I eat my berries today I give thanks for this community that is enough.
-Eilidh
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