Have you ever tasted a freshly plucked berry? Whether it was from your grandpa's backyard or your own, I bet it was the sweetest berry you'd ever tasted. Amiright?
Welp, I'm here to tell ya that a berry straight from the bush (or vine) tastes so sweet because it was cared for and nurtured by you or someone you know. There's a relationship you have with this berry that allows you to taste its sweet perfection, even if it isn't perfect. Sound familiar? Hear me out.
Love Makes Things Sweeter
I love my husband and I love my kids. I love my sisters and my brothers and my friends. I love my students and their families. Sometimes love is tested. Sometimes the people that I love are sour. Heck, sometimes I'm pretty sour myself! It's a good thing I can see all of these people who are special to me through the lens of love. I can appreciate their sweet perfection because we have cultivated a deep and meaningful connection.
Why in the world am I comparing my relationships with those with whom I have deep, meaningful connections with to a bowl of berries? Am I nutty? Maybe a little...but I do have a point. I am connected to the garden I cultivate and care for. I am proud of the wholesome food I am able to produce and share with my loved ones. Those berries are the sweetest darn berries I've ever tasted, every time, because I see them through my love lens. I'm connected to them, to the birds that try to pick them before I do, and to the rain and soil that feeds them.
What I'm trying to say is that we can choose to put our heart into the things we care about. We can make meaningful connections if we do the work. And guess what? When we do, the results are pretty sweet.
Go ahead, give this a try - put on your love lens and take a look around. Tell me what you think.