Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Kindness by Way of Blackberries



If you've read here for any amount of time, you know of my love for blackberries. You may have followed the ongoing saga of the one blackberry bush I've finally gotten to grow and the limited amount of berries it has produced the last couple of years. I've joked about the cost per berry being extremely high.

Well, this year they ripened more than a month early, no doubt due to the extremely mild winter. I was on the road for much of May and got this one, big, juicy berry before I left. I was hoping some would remain when I returned, but wasn't optimistic since their season is short.

When I got back I went out to check and saw there were no berries to be had. I figured the birds had helped themselves to the banquet of berries while I was gone. I took solace in the fact that next year will probably bring a bumper crop.

Yesterday my neighbor, Bob, told me his wife, Ruth, had something for me. I was running late for a meeting, and got home too late to see them last night. But, I went over this afternoon and Ruth said, "Oh, let me get it for you." She emerged with two baggies of frozen blackberries. While I was gone, Bob went over and picked them every couple of days, and Ruth washed and froze them so I could have them when I got back.

I'm so incredibly touched. They are the kindest neighbors. Yes, these are the same neighbors who mow for me. I didn't ask them to pick them for me. I don't even recall having talked with them about my love of blackberries before. They just took it upon themselves to do something so sweet and kind. I am so blessed to live next to them.

They humble me with their kindness.
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