Lessons from the peaches
We're in the midst of summer, and peach season is upon us. And with that, I've been thinking a little bit about the messages that peaches bring.
Stay with me here…
A ripe peach is juicy and sweet, plump and round, firm but with a little give. The first bite into a peach is explosive, erotic, and oh-so satisfying. There are some obvious symbols here. Vitality. Fertility. Choosing the current moment.
But for me, the message is bundled in the peach that is overripe.
The overripe peach has a mushy texture and is overly soft. When they’re past their prime, things start to ferment, and we can taste it.
Leaving peaches to rot on the plant prevents new growth from forming, and neglecting to harvest what's there is counterintuitive to the purpose of the tree.
We're a lot like peaches.
We can feel when something is ripening inside us. We can also feel when parts of us are overripe, over-mature, and waiting to be harvested.
When we've stayed too long.
When we've abandoned our values too many times.
When something is no longer serving us.
We feel resentful, or restless.
Overworked, or stagnant.
Tired of doing the same ole' thing and expecting different results.
There's a quiet humming beneath the surface that something needs to change.
We can feel when some aspect of our life is primed and ready to be picked.
For me, the peach's message manifests as a series of questions.
What is here, ripening deep within me?
What aspects of my life have I let mature for too long?
What parts of me are ready to be harvested, so that new growth can emerge?
Looking at my own self, it looks like leaving a job that I knew wasn't for me.
Learning to throw on the potter's wheel, after putting it off for years.
Finally sharing my writing with the world.
Humor me for a moment.
Take a moment to think about your own life.
How can you get curious about that overripe part of you?
And what’s getting in the way of harvesting what’s waiting and ready?
Just like peach trees, growth is our natural state of being. We are here to bloom and ripen. We are made to harvest the fruits of our labor, and to savor the delectable essence that follows.
Just some thoughts to mull over.
Now go eat a peach and enjoy this summer day.
Nicole is coach, consultant, and entrepreneur living in the Pacific Northwest. She specializes in personal and professional coaching, small business & creative coaching, and strategic consulting.
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