The Banana Tree

I was emailing with a friend who is going through a sad divorce. Her husband recently filed and the time has come for her to prepare to leave the home they have lived in together for over 30 years. She wrote me that she has already started mourning the blueberry plants she planted last year. She will not get to see them grow.

In light of a 30+ yr marriage crumbling to the ground, a few blueberry plants wouldn't seem to matter much. But we're women. Those things matter.

I planted and nurtured a banana tree in my garden at my home in India. I rejoiced at every single leaf that sprouted and unfurled. It was glorious.

But I never saw it bear fruit.

A year or so after I left India I heard it produced bananas.

I never saw those little beauties. I never tasted those bananas. It will never bloom again.

I miss you tree.

Cultivating Thankfulness

Walking from the car to my house and up three flights of stairs to my kitchen with my arms full of grocery bags.

Carrying a full laundry basket from the attic to the basement and then back up again.

Bickering children on repeat.

A dirty bathroom.

A cold living room.

Strep throat.

I've learned to be thankful even in these things. As I hurry to the house with my fingers growing numb from the bags full of milk and canned foods and heavy meats, I thank God that I can walk. I thank Him that the back pain that I occasionally suffer from is gone. I thank Him for strong legs and arms to do the work. When the kids are on my last nerve, I thank God that I have them at all. When the housework seems overwhelming and I couldn't want to clean it any less than I do, I thank God for a home. And a roof over our head. And a warm bed to sleep in. When I am sick, I recall the blessing of health.

I say it out loud. I say it in my head. I thank Him.

Because it could be so much worse.