A Guest Post by Renee Regacho-Anaclerio
Renee is a spiritual director, leadership coach, and equity trainer. She lives in Newcastle with her husband Vince, her Labrador Retriever Teddy, and her three-legged goat Sophie.
(from Robin) If you’ve been reading here for the past few months, you know that I’ve been captivated by the blackberries growing wild around my house. I’ve been doing my best to clear them, my personal Blackberry Project. The blackberries have been teaching me about commitment and the goodness of faithfully showing up. So I was thrilled when Renee shared this reflection with me. Renee’s writing brought a new, deeper dimension to my blackberry pondering. I’m happy that she allowed me to share it with you.
During the summer, we walked in the early mornings—quiet walks down our country roads. It was a time to get some exercise, a time for quiet introspection. And for several weeks, a time to pick blackberries! These picking adventures became spiritual lessons. I don’t wear gloves, so I carefully had to maneuver my fingers between the thorns to pick the juicy black gems. Here’s what I learned from our walks and what the blackberries taught me:
Lesson 1: Our morning walks are prayerful and often offer surprises. A fawn, a coyote, a tiny bird, a nest of bunnies. It is important to pay attention. It is as if God is saying, “Look! I am doing something new!”
