One morning, I stood at my kitchen counter, typing a Steemit post.
There was an unexpected knock on my door.
It was my very nice neighbor who dropped by to share fresh dragon fruit from the trees in his yard next door. It's also known as 'pitaya,' and is in the cactus species.
The color inside is magenta, like beets. Its seeds are soft, like a kiwi. And the overall taste is very mild... like a bland pear.
It was a gift, and delivery, that stayed with me long after I ate it. I realized how much I now love to swap exotic fruits that I have never seen and tasted before.
And I love connecting with people who have the same
kind of weird feet that, while standing, whisper to the soil:
"Thank you for the fresh lemonade and guacamole, today!"
"Thank you for feeding us, and providing all our needs."
My dragon fruit neighbor has feet like that...
... feet that whisper nice things to soil.
And that relationship, between feet and soil,
can carry you to where you want to be.
I know a lot of people who read my posts are atheists,
and/or materialists of some sort. THANK YOU so much
for reading, in spite of our different worldview.
It takes a really broad-minded person to do that.
I share this beautiful poem by the 14th century Persian poet, Hafiz. The love within it feels enormous, and so capable:
Troubled?
Then stay with me, for I am not.
Lonely?
A thousand naked amorous ones dwell
in ancient caves
beneath my eye.
Riches?
Here’s the pick:
My whole body
is an emerald that begs:
“Take me.”
Write all that bothers you
on a parchment.
Offer it to God.
Even from this distance
of a millennium, I can reach
out the flame from my heart
into your life and turn
all that frightens you
into Holy Ash.
Who talks like that, today?
Beautifully honest with a wonderful poem.
Thanks, @danielhime :-)
Wow, awesome, love it!!!
Thanks, @lizdapf :-)
One of the things I miss so much from my last house was that the neighborhood was one of ample sharing. We all had something growing to share. I had lots of fruits. Others grew vegetables or raised chickens or fished. The sharing of food is one of the core elements of community.
@indigoocean this is my first time experiencing it, and I find it so enjoyable and meaningful to share food and talk seed :-) Since you already have experience with it, maybe you can introduce it to your new neighborhood?
When I build my house in what will be my real neighborhood I definitely will. I think up there they are already like that to some extent. But here I'm renting and the water from the well isn't good for plants. Too much limestone. It will come around again though. So glad to hear you're getting to have this experience. It's the way life was meant to be.
This line, to me, just says it all! Thank you @erikaharris for posting this.
All the best,
Phi23
@phi23, a thousand naked amorous ones did it for ya, huh? :-D
Heehee, so glad you enjoyed! All the best to you, too.
Fruit that is given freely by others gives so much more than just a great taste. Here in Malaysia when visiting the market the vendors almost always give you some of their produce for free and that makes me feel so grateful! 💚
Oh, I love that image of you happily produce-shopping, @rawadventuress. I'm now intrigued to read some of your adventures :-)
Yes, fruits shopping is one of my favorite things every day ☺️
Have a nice start into the week, Erika!
@erikaharris You are bringing such Great Content and I seem to always get absorbed in your posts.............Thank You for Bringing out Emotions. It is good to be able to Feel..............
It IS good to be able to feel, @stokjockey. Brave, too :-)
We need more sharing in the world, because if we don't share the world's bounty, we will never be able to move beyond the "scarcity mindset" that seems to drive the fear-based world.
What a gorgeous fruit that is! Nature as art!
Bright Blessings!
Thanks for that great thought, @whitelightxpress. I agree with you.
At first, I thought it was too beautiful to eat... and I almost let it sit too long. But then I decided it was too beautiful to let rot, lol
Bright blessings to you, too <3
My inner child is delighted. Thank you. Imagining the dragon fruit brings me joy in this moment, and the Hafiz (my fave!) poem is a real gem.
Thanks for delighting with me, @cabelindsay. It was wonderful to share dragon fruit and Hafiz with you :-)