STRAWBERRY SEEDS

I was taught a powerful lesson one morning as I rose from my sleep. One side of my mouth felt swollen and inflamed. It was so tender and hurtful that I was not able to eat my breakfast, and I concluded that because of the soreness of my mouth that I was in for some extensive dental work. While I was brushing my teeth that morning, I noticed a seed from a strawberry, which I had eaten the day before, was caught up under my gum. Amazingly, as soon as the seed was removed, my mouth began to heal.

Imagine, something so tiny having such a big effect on how I felt. It was fresh strawberry season and I, along with my family, had eaten a bowl of strawberries for dinner the night before. They were delicious, tasting almost like sugar, but the tiny seed, which seemed too small to matter, became a detriment to my mouth. Oh my, how wonderful it felt to have it removed from my gum.

I couldn’t help but think how small things in life can have such a big effect on us. I thought of those moments when I have been irritated with someone while driving or impatient with a sales clerk. I thought of the times when I did not take the opportunity to be kinder to someone or help them to feel better about themselves. They are just small things but they add up and are like having a mouth full of tiny strawberry seeds lodged in the gum line—they can hurt and become inflamed and actually be harmful to your soul. Now each time I eat a strawberry, I am reminded how small things can make such a difference not only in my life but in the life of others.