Canned peaches

The weather recently in Texas makes me think of how it must feel to live in a desert. The 100 degree plus weather, for days on end, leaves no patch of water on the sidewalk or mist over the grass. I cannot imagine a few days in the desert, much less forty days in the desert, but then again, that, we know, was a time of testing and a time for affirming the truth.

Any desert that lasts for forty days, can be likened unto a mental desert, a place where, when at our weakest, we are faced with trials that test our character and our mental fortitude. Sometimes these deserts pop up at the most unlikely of places, and sometimes they last longer than we anticipate.

I felt such a desert was upon me, when someone in my family wanted to move away from all of us, and did not want to leave us location contact information.

In my own life, I have only wanted to be “hid” from my parents one time, in college, when I had spent the entire semester playing pool and skipping classes. And once I was “found out”, that scramble to “hide” lasted for only a few days and I ultimately went home and apologized to my parents and had to drop out of college for a while.

But this new “desert” was different as there was no anticipated reconciliation date…and my lack of understanding of the situation, on my part felt like it put me in a desert place… a “no mans land”.

But even in such a place that could seem bereft of hope for some, we can anticipate “refreshment”. For me this refreshment came in the form of a jar of “sliced peaches”.

I found the jar in the surplus from the garage sale, that I had in my truck so that I could help them by donating to goodwill. I noticed the jar and pulled it out of a box that also had a container with some change in it. The sliced peaches jar was full of strips of paper.

Regarding peaches, I remember reading about how peaches were prized during the war and that soldiers felt refreshed and happy upon receiving peaches. Also, one of my favorite recipes from my mom is called “chicken Maria’s way” and it is made with chicken, paprika, onions, peaches and broccoli and is topped with a mixture of mayo, sour cream and Parmesan cheese.

Though the jar of peaches I found was long since relieved of its peaches, it was filled with tiny strips of paper from those individuals who were moving away. I was touched to see that these papers were all written upon.
The papers were full of gratitude for simple every day common occurrences.

They were concisely written by different individuals who expressed genuine gratitude and they were very specific. As I realized that gratitude was and has been important in their lives, even in the midst of moving away from us, I suddenly felt refreshed, hopeful and peaceful, much like those soldiers in the desert of war, must have felt, eating juicy peach slices.

It might seem like a small thing, but I have treasured this jar of peach slices as a sign of good thoughts that have value, because they express gratitude. Each strip of paper is a beautiful peach slice and gives me confidence that the desert of confusion and alienation is not permanent and that refreshment can come in the most unexpected of places. For this I am also grateful.