If femininity were a fruit, the raspberry would do it justice.
We, my family friends and I, were sitting under a canopy of green enjoying a picnic spread. Twirling a raspberry between her fingers, the mother shared her epiphany that "raspberries are a lady fruit". I chuckled at the concept, thinking it to be an odd one at first, and then my brain kicked in to process it. Why, yes, what a pretty piece of perspective. It's a subjective view of course, as neither she nor I could quite explain why a raspberry would classify as such. Afterall, there are pomegranates, papayas, and a great many other fruits likened to women. But if you sit in silence with a raspberry lingering at the lips, it might just make sense to you, too.
Part of the Rose family within the Rubus genus, raspberries are the fruit of bramble bush, alongside the blackberry species. Fragrant, lacey-white flowers that bloom from these prickly briers are in fact what inspired the pseudonym, Briar Rose, for Aurora the sleeping beauty. Taming this species of thicket is tougher than thorns, due to their grit and growth. The resiliency of raspberry plants enables them to thrive in even the harshest of conditions. They have thus been an impeccable source of nourishment for humans since the ancient days of old, especially in areas such as the Middle East..
With that little slice of history, I want to dive into the topic for the day, which is how raspberries inspired my lady-soul after further reflection.
Contradictory to (seemingly) popular opinion, I believe that being soft in tough situations is a female's strength. Approaching life with sensitivity and embracing any given chance to pour beauty into the world, is a ferocious way to celebrate the influence of being woman. For, a lady's power is not equated with approaching life in the same way as the men, but in the tender balance of being who she was created to be.
Go berry-picking and you will find rubies suspended in the thicket amongst the thorns.
Referring back to the history of the raspberry plant, we may see that its flexibility in changing environments and its tenacity for widespread growth is what enables the Rubus genus to quite literally bloom wherever they are planted. It is what gives them their agricultural usefulness, which is how they have continued to exist since the beginning. No matter the circumstance, the raspberry plant takes root & bears fruit. It takes guts, grit, and a whole lot of grace to exude gentleness & beauty in harsh situations. And yet this is an innately feminine quality of which women are capable & called to utilize. Of course we have all slipped up in this regard - it is not always easy biting the tongue, turning the other cheek, upholding virtues, forgiving & forgetting, or being the first to apologize.
But this is where the Creator's grace floods in, filling every crevice with renewed hope & strength to sustain His daughter. Our softness is fashioned after God's kindness. His power is made perfect in our shortcomings. He has a plan; we have a purpose, no matter the soil or season. Like the raspberry bramble bush, the desire remains to be of maximal use in His garden. Wherever He may plant and prune me, my purpose is to spring forth fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
And on this note, I will be finishing episode 1 of the Raspberry Series. After visiting the berry farm, my family has returned with pales full of harvested raspberries. Needless to say, I will be baking up a great pink storm within the next few days, so do stay tuned!
May the journey YHWH has in store for us be as tastefully flavoured as the raspberry, as fragrant as the brier rose, and as fruitful as the bramble.
With sweet joy & lemon zest,
Hannah Mia 🕊
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