Strawberries

nature’s hearts

Music Player Instruction: play and feel nature’s hearts

Summer time meant strawberry time.   We had it plain, with sugar, with sour cream and even in salads.  The kitchen table always had a bowl topped up with these red heart shaped fruit. The place lit up – a joyous and loving atmosphere.

Often the family gathered around the table for a meal or a snack.  Stories of the past would come up and I loved hearing them.  On this occasion as we were having a strawberry delight, my mother looked at the strawberries and out came a story about these loved, red heart shaped fruit from her childhood.

She was nostalgic and a bit teary – you could feel that she was not with us but in the forest near the shtetl [Pale of Settlement] in Poland.  She told us that she and her sisters loved going into the forest and often came back home with baskets full of berries. That story I heard many times but she added something new.  She told us that the berries were also used for medicinal purposes.  I wanted to know more and she told me how she loved drinking the blended teas of strawberries and raspberries. She remembered that her grandmother made teas from the roots and the leaves to help with urinary discomforts and skin conditions such as eczema.

She then smiled and said that there were many folk stories about this fruit.  So many love stories.  She asked me – can you see the heart shape in this fruit? Can you see the beautiful red passionate colour?  When I said yes, she said you know it is the fruit of the heart.  It is juicy and sweet and the symbol of love – Venus the Goddess of love. One more story she said – when two lovers eat strawberries together it is a good omen for a lasting relationship. Finally, she said – look at nature’s gifts.  Gifts of the heart – perfect and whole.  Then my aunt piped up and said – yes it is all about the magic of the heart – LOVE.

I looked again at the strawberries in front of me and I could feel the spirit of the fruit letting me know that I’ve welcomed the gift of nature – the gift of LOVE.

Strawberries also have many health benefits

• consist of fibers/ simple sugars
• good source of vitamin C/ manganese/ folate/ potassium/ plant compounds
• reduce the risk of chronic diseases – heart/ cancer/ inflammation/
• blood sugar levels/ allergies/ mood swings/ weight
• Miriam Broder

References

https://thepracticalherbalist.com/advanced-herbalism/strawberry-history-folklore-myth-and-magic

https:wwwhealthline.com/nutrition/foods/strawberries#benefits
Ashkenazi Herbalism-Deatra Cohen & Adam Siegel – 2021 North Atlantic Books

NOTE   please consult with a qualified health professional if health issues arise and persist

Music:  Now – Master Charles Cannon
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