The waitress showed us to our table and immediately launched into an apology to tell us they had run out of their famous strawberry pie. Judging from the relieved look on her face when we assured her it wasn't a problem it was clear she had taken flack having had to share that news with some customers.
The pie looked glorious in the picture; layer upon layer of juicy strawberries topped off with several inches of swirling whipped cream. But even if you added chocolate sprinkles or caramel sauce I still wouldn't have been disappointed at the lack of pie in the restaurant. I don't like pie. I know, I know.who doesn't like pie? Well, for starters, me. There are many desserts I really enjoy--pie just isn't among them. Weirdly however, when I have had to make a pie I quite enjoyed the process--just not the product.
Years ago when we were first married I got it in my head to make a peach pie for my husband. As I stood in the produce aisle I began selecting peaches I thought would be good. I figured that if I was going to the effort of making pie I should at least make a second one to put in the freezer. The aroma of the fruit was so enticing I decided I should buy a few extras we could eat fresh in the coming days. When I looked at how many peaches I had placed in the fruit bags I noticed cases stacked near the counter. Looking at the price difference it just didn't make sense not to put the single peaches back and purchase the case instead. I certainly didn't need that many peaches but was lured by the value I believed I was getting.
I took the peaches home and made a pieand another pieand one more. I followed that up with a peach cobbler. We ate peaches and cream, peaches and ice cream, and put sliced pieces on our waffles yet there was still a formidable quantity of peaches left in the case. I gave several away, not in a spirit of giving, but in a desperate attempt to rid myself of the unwanted fruit. Instead of feeling grateful for the abundance I had, I felt burdened by something I no longer valued.
We live surrounded by a super-sized, buy in bulk, big box store mentality. Getting more is desirable. We convince ourselves that the time and money we save will be worth it. That might be okay with breakfast cereal, granola bar or other items we feel we will use within a reasonable timeframe, it's not so great when it comes to some of the fundamental things we too easily take for granted.
When we have easy access to clean water we may neglect to take note of what a precious commodity it is. When we have the right to freedom of expression we may fail to remember that accountability and respect must accompany it. Do we give enough thought to the air we breathe, the mountains of books available to us, or the variety of food we're storing in our pantries, freezers and fridges?
The danger of having something in abundance is failing to recognize its value. We can become complacent thinking that because there is so much of something it will always be there. The concepts of turning on a faucet, building shelves to contain books or having leftovers in the house is something familiar to us but terribly remote to so many. In the midst of having to deal with so much stuff it can feel overwhelming and even burdensome. We need to guard against treating our possessions like unwanted peaches siting in the bottom of a box.
As we clean out garages, clear off gardens, and de-clutter this fall, we will likely come across quantities of items we cannot put to efficient use. It may prompt us to distribute or dispose of things. Let's not do it with an attitude of having to get rid of unwanted stuff, but to keep in mind that in the midst of our abundance we need to give away what we have with a spirit of abundant gratitude. That's my outlook.
