‘Ku-plink, ku-plank, ku-plunk,” taut berries hit the bottom of the large metal bucket, the sound echoing across the spacious field, like a scene right out of Robert McCloskey’s Blueberries for Sal.
If you are not familiar with this classic children’s book about little Sal’s trip to pick berries with her mother at Blueberry Hill in Maine, stop reading now and go buy it. It is a story that represents all that is good and wholesome about small town America, and about the pure joy of a parent/child outdoor adventure.
It is also about the childish curiosity that makes us wonder what is happening on the other side of the bush.
For me, picking blueberries is an exercise in mindfulness – a moving meditation of sorts. When I am among the bushes, I am unrestricted by my cell phone, work, the dishes in the sink or other clutter of daily life. My attention is on each berry and the simple process of the harvest.
When there are others among the bushes picking and chatting, I also harvest great wisdom. Words seem to grow ripe as people wander among the blueberries and conversation flows purely.
My curiosity for what is said on the other side of the bush has yielded the following insight this season:
This berry picker was expressing her preference for the large, plump blueberries that are grown intentionally with great care and purpose. She was, however, also allowing room for the tiny blue beads that grow wild in meadows, bogs and along alpine trails.
They each have very distinct tastes but there is certainly space for both. Likewise, we can live our lives with meaning and structure while also providing for some wildness and purposeless play.
An age-old reminder that we cannot judge a book by its cover. Only when we get a taste of the unfamiliar, do we begin to understand and appreciate its flavor. Our assumptions about relative value are often misplaced because we do not take time to listen, taste, touch or see beyond what is on the outside of the low hanging fruit. This seems especially timely as our nation and world struggle with equity, hate and fear of the “other.”
Many of us out picking are doing so for our impending hibernation. We flash freeze pounds of this blue gold so that in January we can thaw them out and pretend that it is a sunny July day in the field. For me, this was a reminder that even in our darkest, most difficult times, we can recall warm memories or find ways to celebrate the goodness in our lives.
An adaptation of the popular phrase, “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” I heard a woman say this to her granddaughter recently. The lesson: take advantage of what you have in this moment rather than constantly anticipating or yearning for the next best thing, as what is in front of us is certain. I would add that a berry in the mouth is even better than two in the hand or multiple on the bush!
One need only read the news to hear about the pain, violence and uncertainty in our world. Orlando, Baton Rouge, Dallas, Nice . . . the list goes on and on. It is easy to focus on the negative energy that can dominate the headlines – the rottenness of humanity.
Then again, there is such delicious beauty and kindness in our world that can be diminished by focusing on the undesirable.
It is important to be aware of the hurt and misfortune that does exist, while realizing that we get to choose what we pay attention to. We can see the foul berries but still pick their ripe, satisfying companions.
I hear this phrase just about every time I am picking. In fact, I am often the one repeating this refrain. With so many tempting berries hanging off the bush, it is difficult to pull oneself away. Usually, 15 minutes after saying this, I am still in the thick of the bushes, adding to my overflowing bucket to the point where berries are tumbling out. This is a good reminder that moderation is important in our lives. We need to accept when our buckets are full and resist adding more or being tempted by excess. This is a lesson that is especially challenging and an ongoing practice.
Whether you want to stockpile berries for the winter, bake a blueberry pie or simply share quality time with family, take the opportunity to stop by one of the many pick-your-own farms in the Granite State before the season is over. Not only will you leave with the taste of sweet blue goodness, but you might also harvest some great wisdom. Happy picking!
(Brennan Barnard lives in Hopkinton.)