I wasn't the first to reach the golden zone; David beat me there. I was lazy and didn't arrive until just after 7:00 am. Don't get me wrong, I love David like a brother, but he is a harvester. I am a gatherer.
To the casual observer, harvesters and gatherers might be considered the same. But there are fundamental differences. The harvester scrapes everything into the bucket, ready or not! The little green pea sized ball, the red slightly larger and definitely not ready globe, and the purple almost ready sphere. They all find themselves in David's bucket. This approach might work well for wheat or corn, but not for something as precious as a seasonal fruit.
A gatherer carefully picks that which is ready. It must have the right shape, size, texture and color. Each berry undergoes a rigorous evaluation. To do otherwise robs them of their God given right to fully mature, thus I allow them to better fulfill the measure of their creation. To the harvester a full gallon bucket represents an hour of work. To the gatherer a gallon bucket is a spiritual journey, something that isn't measured in time or effort.
I suffer from an extreme blueberry dependency problem. There, I've said it and the cat is out of the bag. But I offer no apologies, my reverence for the little blue orbs drives my pursuit for fruit excellence. However I don't hoard my stash of blueberries; I share them with friends and loved ones. A gift should be the best one has to offer, so from my personal stock I offer the gift that is a measure of how much I value the recipient. Such gifts are also a personal measure of ones humanity, the willingness to sacrifice time and energy in order to enrich another.
That is why the golden zone is so important. The berries gathered there are exceptional, their flavor exquisite. I would only share the location of the golden zone with someone I know would revere it as I do, another gatherer type. The golden zone has become for me my personal Garden of Eden. My cell phone has no reception there, so it cannot bother me. You can't hear a loud truck from a nearby highway, nor an obnoxious train to disturb with its audible vibrations. There is only the song of a bird or the buzz of a bee as it takes care of bee business. It is a place, when conditions are just right, you can hear Him whisper, "enjoy these blueberries, for there are none finer in all the world."
But, He also whispers to me, "be tolerant of David, even if he is a harvester."
I like to imagine you in your personal Garden of Eden, gathering prime blueberries and being tolerant of David.
ReplyDeleteAhh, you need not just imagine. You need but to be there to witness all the tolerant gathering! I anxiously await our arrival in Dayton later this week. I will Google "pick yourself blueberries near Dayton,TX", in the hope that Texas is a civilized as Alabama.
ReplyDeleteAlas, I am the immortal harvester known as David. I (like the great prophets of old) take all in - regardless of the state of perfection they are in. I have faith and hope that with love and care, all will become worthy of my cheesecakes and pies. Like us, all blueberries are not perfect. I accept them, and use them where and when I can....
ReplyDeletePlus it also makes picking a whole lot quicker..... Love you, Hebiew.
David, the berries are like us, we all mature at our own pace. They are here for a short season, and should be allowed the opportunity to fully mature. Taking fruit before it's ready...that's counter to the plan.
ReplyDeleteYet another fundamental difference between the gatherer and harvester, us gatherers view the act of gathering a spiritual experience. You harvesters view it work ;>)
thank you for sharing your berries with us, they have nourished us, healed us and gathered us. your efforts have not gone unappreciated.
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