Being a first-time mom is an adventure in and on itself. Everything I had read, heard, asked, and seen did not compare to the experience of having my baby, Jessica, and navigating those first few months.
I was blessed to have my mom with me on and off during that time. I saw how my mom had that so-called sixth sense with my little Jessica, and she seemed to know a language that I didn’t even hear.
Although I did learn little by little about being a mom to my newborn, the learning process seemed to start all over again every time my daughter entered a new stage of development.
When Jessica was the right age, I started giving her some solid food. Baby cereal, broth, cooked vegetables, or fruit.
On one of those visits from my mom, we went to the store to buy food as we had done on other occasions. The difference was that my mom found a fruit that she hadn’t seen in a while, the nectarine.
My mom told me:
–Nectarine is delicious, it’s a graft or something like that. Let’s take some, you’ll see that the baby will love them.
Jessica had at least two to four teeth, and she was a very good eater. My mom said that she craved what my daughter ate just by seeing how she enjoyed her food. As it was normal for me, I hadn’t realized that Jessica would normally find delight every time she ate..
Once home, after having washed the nectarine throughly, my mom was eager to give it to Jessica. She sat her on her lap, and with several napkins nearby, she brought the nectarine to her.
And, my God. Did she like it? She loved it!
It was so funny to see her, all covered in pulp, and since the nectarine was juicy and at its best, juice dripped from it after each bite.
My daughter Jessica’s skin tone is very white. When she started trying the nectarine, her lips turned red. My mom held the nectarine, and Jessica was leaning in, taking my mom’s hands so she could bring the nectarine to her.
During that season, the nectarine officially became my little girl’s favorite fruit.
And you, have you ever tried a fruit that you delight in?
Even though Jessica was little, my mom and I were surprised that she did finish the nectarine.
There is a moment in the letter of James when it says that the word of God is grafted into us, in addition to being able to give life.
And you, can you discover that word of life grafted or planted in you?
What my daughter Jessica enjoyed with such pleasure was the fruit, not the seed. Although my mom was careful to give her the pulp while keeping the seed apart.
In your life, do you find a seed? Or do you find a fruit?
When we may not find a fruit within us yet, it may not necessarily mean that something is wrong with us. A seed is a seed, and a fruit is a fruit. For the seed to grow properly to the point of bearing fruit, time and care are necessary.
The time will come, that before we know it, there is already fruit, sweet, juicy, ripe and at its best. We will be able to share it, and it will give us the nourishment and strength necessary to work.
We will share, and we will delight together.
If the Spirit leads you, share with Jesus the carpenter the seeds and/or fruits that you find planted in your life, and perhaps you will delight together.
Marisol
P.S. We can hear about the word grafted into us in the readings of the XXII Sunday of Ordinary Time, year/cycle B.
