Lessons

¨Under the Cherry Tree¨

The other day I was at a neighbors house and was invited to go pick cherries from their grandmother´s tree. The kids and I popped over the 2 houses to a small, empty dark house, whose backyard hosted a magnificent array of green leaves sprinkled with red small fruits. The grandma of the little children hoisted herself up upon the rusty old trash can that sat dormant in the backyard for such occasions as picking season. With broom in hand, she proceeded to gently tap the small wonders, branch by branch, until soon enough, small red miracles were falling all around us. The boys and I scrambled to retrieve them, running under the thick green branches, tripping on the scattered rocks, reaching for heaven, hoping to catch in the air a trickle of the red shower, ducking and dodging to avoid the itsy bullets. It was so amazingly beautiful to me, the simplicity of life. Cherries falling all around, three tiny laughters floating up into a blue and white sky. The vintage worn dress of the grandma, mingled and twisted in with the winding branches of brown, the flowered pattern flapping in the wind, telling the world that life has its own breath. It was one of the moments that checked me into reality, the preciousness of life, the fraility of time and how fast we move by the true delights that God presents to us everyday.

Upon filling a basket full of red happiness, we entered into the tiny dark kitchen, where an open refrigerator door revealed the emptiness of its possessions. The small basket was quickly scooped up to be washed with a sparing amount of precious water, each drop important in its mission. With trophy in hand, we left the small empty space to head home to warm lights and open arms, for the boys to share with their mom the treasures they collected. Before I left the house, small dirty hands flooded the basket and came up bearing huge gifts. They were gathered up in a small bag, and with my hands full of gifts, my heart heavily weighed what had just been shared with me. What is mine is yours. Though we have nothing, we give. Love.