The Miracle Strawberry

During a rousing game of catch in the backyard, my cousin Michael over-threw me. As the ball rolled to a stop in the grass, I bent down to pick it up when suddenly a little tiny… strawberry? caught my eye.

“Dude Mike, look at this.” I said. He ran over to check it out. My next door neighbor was putting chicken on the grill and shouted “What is it?!” We all peered down at the tiny rogue plant. Then my neighbor enlightened me of the epic journey of the berry. And so it began…

Apparently 3 years ago, a garden of strawberries were planted several houses down. The plants grew and eventually bore fruit. For one reason or another, the berries were replaced with something else and life moved on.

During the time the berries were harvested many summers ago, a bird or other small woodland creature, a fat squirrel perhaps, took pleasure in eating some for himself. Sneaky bastard. Hours later, he would need to poop. The pile (so to speak) landed in our yard. As did the seed.

Through harsh seasons, the seed would survive. It outlasted gruesome lawn mower blades, foot traffic, and curious dogs. It outlasted frost, blazing sun, and fertilizer. Against all odds it sprouted and rose from the ground to seek the light of day. It would be a shining example of survival and the relentless pursuit to grow into a big-boy plant. Let life lesson be applied little berry. Hats off to you.

I say seasons, plural, because it takes 2 years for a strawberry plant to produce fruit. First time growers learn this the hard way. Indeed, this plant has endured a lot to have delivered to us what has been coined for 24 hours now in human history as “The Strawberry Miracle”.

Now, here’s where you have the great opportunity to apply this story metaphorically to your own life. Please choose from one or more of the following:

1. Carpe Diem
2. Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go
3. No pain no gain
4. Difficulties mastered are opportunities won
5. Believe in yourself
6. He who conquers himself is mighty
7. Don’t sweat the small stuff
8. A great man is always willing to be little
9. A person starts to live when he can live outside himself
10. Do your best

PS- an alternative post title that Cousin Michael suggested: “From Feces to Food, The Story of a #2 becoming #1”