6.01.2010

i had to... i just had to!


guess what i bought for myself this weekend.
yep!
i bought a big bag of cherries.

partly because it feels like summer. partly because they looked so delicious in the produce market, staring up at me all shiny and red and sweet, calling out to me... "take me home!"

and then b. reminded me just now, "don't forget you have a big bag of cherries in the fridge." oh, yeah! i almost forgot!

and then i was reminded of the post i did last year that was all things cherries and all things encouraging, and i thought about how much i could use that post again.

so i reposted it below.

~~~

{written july 20, 2009 }

life is.
that's it.
life is.

i'm seeing so much pain and heartache
going on around me.
loss of loved ones.
need of a break because
of feeling burned out.
sickness and disease.
financial struggle.
job loss.
job stress.
broken relationships.

i'm reminded every day
by visiting blogs and making friends
that there are so many struggles
that we all face on a daily basis.
but i'm also encouraged every day,
by the help and outpouring of support
and encouragement that is right there too––
from complete strangers.
from acquaintances.
from friends.

so i was happy when taking pictures today
of the cherries that cost me a bundle––
cherries i should not have bought,
because we are trying to cut back
on the extras right now.

but i realized,
there are just some things
that i don't want to let go of
no matter how hard it gets.
i don't want to stop eating ice cream.
i don't want to stop buying summer cherries.
i don't want to stop having coffee with a friend,
every once in a while––
even if it costs four or five times more
than what it would cost to make it at home.
i want to keep drinking my favorite lemonade.

in other words, sometimes there is so little
for us to actually really call our own
in this life.
and that's okay.
it's the little things
like coffee.
cherries.
lemonade.
ice cream.
that make a day sweet.
no matter how difficult life gets.

and life is...
sweet.
precious.
full.
wonderful.
too short
to not eat cherries.

i couldn't find more joy
than i do in picking up my camera
and taking some silly pictures.
pictures of color––the brightest green.
pictures of shapes and negative space.
pictures of light and shadow
blending into one.
pictures of abounding sweetness
in just one small cherry.
pictures of wealth––
the kind that comes from
being rich with gratitude,
not with dollars.
taking pictures...
one of life's cherries
in its own bowl full of many.

i think cherries were
my dad's favorite fruit.

did you ever notice
how the words cherry and cheery
are so close––just one letter off?

i'm happy today.
life is good.
it's not perfect.
but it's good.
probably one day very soon,
i will find it less easy to say.
but right now,
i feel that my life is good.
and i feel blessed.

i hope you do as well.
if you don't,
then i pray that you will.
when i don't,
please pray that i will, too.

cherries
red cherries in a green bowl
blurry cherries

~ ~ ~

remember the part where i said "i'm happy today. life is good. it's not perfect. but it's good. probably one day very soon, i will find it less easy to say."

well, today is one of those days when i find it less easy.

that pain and that heartache going on around me that i mentioned... it's still there. different people... some very close to me. different situations. but still there.

and like last year when i wrote this post, i am once again in the unemployment boat. a very scary place, to be sure.

but everything i said above still holds true. and i am trusting for provision once again.

i just needed to see this post again to remind myself, and since i'm not much in the blogging spirit, i thought i would repost an oldie-but-goodie, especially since i got such a warm response the first time.

now, i think i'll go have some of those cherries.
good night.

xo

22 comments:

chasity said...

that was beautiful georgia.
you have such a way with words.

and pictures.

i feel blessed to have met you...

i hope that every cherry in the bag is sweet.

big hugs~~
chasity

georgia b. said...

thank you, chasity. i feel exactly the same about you. i really do.

big hugs right back atya!

S. Etole said...

It's still very beautiful ....

Beverly said...

beautiful!

georgia b. said...

thanks, ladies.

nice to see you here, beverly.

Hi Kooky said...

We've been enjoying summer cherries too! Here's wishing you many peaceful, beautiful moments to carry you through the hard stuff. I know you keep your eyes open for the beauty, for the quiet gifts (sometimes not-so-quiet) that God sends just when we least expect it.

Rochelle said...

i loved that post; thanks for reposting!! and oh man... how did a year go by since then already?!?! wowsers.

i promise to be in touch soon about getting together, i want to see you so badly! i just need you to get in touch with me (email or Facebook) with your new # and we'll be all set. :) blessings and hugs, dear friend! i pray for you & b regularly!

georgia b. said...

not quite a year, roe. but almost.

no worries. just contact me when you can. oh, and my cell phone # should be the same as when we worked together.

Anonymous said...

beautiful post. you are so right about not giving up those little things that make us happy, for without those things, what's life supposed to be about?

Chris said...

Oh, this is all so lovely, Georgia!

I miss you dearly. I think of you often, especially when I see some awesome photography, a fashionable girl, or even ads for Whole Foods.

I have been out of the blogging sphere for a while, but I'm trying to carve out a few minutes here and there to get back into it.

Your blog is looking lovely as always...I hope you are doing well, and I'm so glad to stop by and say hi :)

Chris said...

P.S. I'm sorry to see Vivid gone from your photography blog list...I did just post some Savanna pix if you'd like to check them out, though.

georgia b. said...

oh, my goodness, chris! i have not seen/heard from you in so long! how are you?

vivid is still in my bookmarks/favorites. i just went through and removed some blogs from my blog roll/daily reads list, because my blog roll was starting to get so long, as i kept adding more and more. i had not seen you post there in so long, so every time i add a new blog, i take out one that does not seem active. but i would know if you start posting again, because i would see you on my dashboard since i follow your blog.

i'll have to add it back in!

glad to see you posting there again. how in the world are you?

Chris said...

I'm good...busy but good :)

You?

mrs mediocrity said...

That was beautiful and wonderful and wise. And yes, it is good to remind yourself, when things look bad, that they can get better and you can get through and I know so many of the things you talked about, go through so many of the same things all the time...my graphics business has been tough the past 2 years, losing clients, this recession...it is a struggle, often.
And that is nothing compared to friends and loved ones and heartache and all the other things you mentioned.
Erma Bombeck had that saying, "If life is a bowl of cherries, what I am doing in the pits?" You made me think of that...
Hang in there, I hope life gets sweeter, soon

georgia b. said...

thanks, kelly. i did not know you have a graphics business/background! you are so multi-talented girl!

CDScott said...

I remember your original cherries post...can't believe it's been a year! Loved it again.

I got your flickr comments on my images...THANK YOU! Your compliments I take in high regard. I guess I am not familiar with your sshhh blog. Can you send me the link? Am flattered that you would include one of my images.

Also, I have another new blog. Go see if you can comment on that one :-)

http://cdscottphoto.blogspot.com

See you again soon!

GailO said...

This is why I come to visit and read and look...gorgeous words and gorgeous photos. I am always overwhelmed by how prolific you are...in frequency of posts...(yes, I'm jealous of you)...and in creativity. I am always inspired when I visit. I'm trying to get the urge to take more photos back again...

georgia b. said...

: )
thanks, gail.

cd... can't wait to check out your new blog! and by the way, it's actually been only 10 months since i originally posted. but still, time flies, no?

Meri said...

I bought a bag of big, beautiful red and yellow Rainier cherries yesterday. And this morning, the bag was empty and there was a tiny bowl full of cherry pits. Oh the joy of 20-somethings in the house. Good thing I'm not a big fan of cherries.

Anonymous said...

ah how beautiful. i've just visited your blog for the first time, love it!

& i'm enjoying a bag of cherries this evening as well... so yummy!

margie said...

fabulous. incredibly fabulous post.

cigi said...

Beautiful post and lovely images. I do believe that it is the simple pleasures that help us find joy in the midst of life's difficulties and heartaches. Life is indeed too short not to eat cherries.