Knowing I’m a sucker for this kind of nonsense, I’m pretty
sure God thought of me, smiled his omniscient fatherly smile, and grew this
remarkable sweet pepper just to amuse me.
He’s awesome like that.
I was garnishing raw vegetable plates at a taco soup
fundraiser for my daughter’s trip to a Mexican orphanage on Sunday when I
lifted this angry little red fist out of a bag of assorted bell peppers. I was immediately and wholly smitten.
Like my maternal Grammy, I’m a force-feeder from way
back. I bake, I cook, and I love to
stuff people with treats. But I could never allow someone to eat a natural masterpiece
the likes of this charismatic pepper. Should I try
to sell it on Ebay? Though cinnamon
toast with the Virgin Mary’s image has sold for big bucks (and it would be
marvelous to push our fundraising profits over the top), I opted instead to just
write about how a silly miniature vegetable made my sentimental heart smile.
As noted by the great host of coworkers mercilessly subjected
to my show-and-tell with the magical pepper this morning, it does not take a
lot to amuse me. I realize this about
myself but remain unapologetic.
This big earth holds a whole lot of hurt. People are hungry. Some are without a decent income, no measurable way to feel one's worth or support one's family. The Christmas season I adore so much sends others into the depths of depression because they are experiencing these festivities alone. Loved ones are fighting terrible diseases, even dying. These painful trials are happening every minute of every day and while implausible to the person facing devastating loss, life just keeps rolling
along.
I say we are in need of marvelous distractions like incredibly expressive peppers.
One of my favorite greeting cards portrays a pitcher of
lemonade on the face of the card. Predictably, it states, “If life gives you
lemons, make lemonade.” But the inside
is the fabulous part. It says something like
“But if life gives you crap, don’t make
anything… Trust me on this one.” It isn't easy to laugh in the face of disappointment and fear. But I contend, if you don’t find joy in the ordinary, if you aren't actively searching for the beauty in the rain-clouds, this path we are walking will feel so fraught
with picker bushes, you will lose your will to keep walking to the splendor on
the other side.
Call me sappy but I am in love with this little red fist.
Its tiny grasping fingers remind me to look for the good around me and its
unanticipated and delightful appearance speaks volumes to my soul about how much we are
loved by the one who created us all.
