The answer is yes, in fact, avocados and pain have something to do with each other. Why is it do you think that in the darkest of moments, life is intercepted by some of the most glorious and beautiful things? Well, good, I don't have the answer either. But, hear me out for a second. There is a terribly tragic occurrence happening to a dear friend and community member and his family right now. The thing is...this tragedy is deflected by so many glimpses of whole beauty.
While our friend lies in a hospital bed, responding to chemo, the sun still rises. The earth is still brought from complete darkness to light, with a billion shades of loveliness in between. The days where the skyline is covered in leftover clouds from the night before, day comes amongst shades of dark blue, and saucy yellows and oranges, and sometimes even fire-blazing red. As I run, there is no escaping the question of why I am fully capable and allowed to experience the swiftest moments of beauty which make life so rich...while someone so close is battling for life.
I pitted an avocado for dinner last night, grilled it, then filled it with mango green chili salsa. Spooning into it, I discovered something: a shade of green that I'd never seen...like the first spring grass, and don't think could be replicated. The shade and richness of the flavor of the avocado came in a moment that could not be replaced...it simply existed in its beauty and happened to be so full of flavor that it is something that can be described as rare and exclusive. I sat there wondering why I continue to treat life with stagnancy and lack of passion when such colors and shades of green and blue and yellow and sunburst orange exist. It was a small reminder that life is so rich. It is not a bland, single-dimensioned gift we just happened to land into and are required to suffer through until the end.
Again I woke up and watched the sun rise over the mountains today, I thought things are coming full circle. And the circle doesn't seem to end. Enjoy your life today for what it is and squelch out every other distraction. Our friend is covered in hospital blankets, with his eyes closed. But the sun rose and the ground is holy because of who made it. He walks amongst us bringing light and life to those of us with our eyes closed.
