It's the first fall harvest for this City Gone Country Girl, and our little family homestead has been blessed with a bumper crop of chestnuts! Our yard is littered with green and brown spiky little spheres, beckoning to be opened by the busy squirrels and chipmunks preparing for winter.I was out in the yard with my oldest daughter raking leaves in the fall sunshine, when we decided to collect some of the chestnuts that had dropped to the ground. Hidden among the colorful leaves, we would gingerly pick up the prickly little balls in hope not to hurt our fingers. It became a tricky game as we gingerly pulled apart the spikey outer skins of the chestnuts, as not to get poked by the sharp little quills that protrude from the outer covers. Next, we would carefully inspect the outer cover looking for a way to open the nuts outer shell. A small seam would reveal access to the chestnut, and we would attempt to pry off the prickly part to reach the smooth chestnut inside. Taking turns, we would yell out "Wow! Look at this one!", sharing our observations of the inside core. The smooth brown nut with light tops were finally in our hands. Some chestnuts were small, some were very large. Some were light brown, and some were a deep beautiful brown. Some of the outer shells hid the contents of two chestnuts inside! Those were exciting to find, seeing how they nestled so neatly inside that outer covering; as if holding a surprise. Every once in a while I would hear "Ouch! Darn that hurt!" or "Mom, I can't get this one! Can you help me?" This process of trying to reach the prize in the middle was a challenge, and we haven't even reached the edible part yet.
I got thinking about this process we were enduring with the chestnuts, and it occurred to me that I have had similar experiences with people in my past. How many times have I come across a prickly person, where I had to crack their outer prickly shell in order to see their prize personality inside? Like a chestnut cover, how many times have I been hurt by the outer core of another, only to give up and quickly "throw them back to the ground"? Sometimes handling people is similar to handling that prickly chestnut. If you handle with care and observe carefully, you can find a way into the inner core. However, getting hurt may be part of the process. Of course it is always easier to ignore or pass over the prickly nut, which may not reveal much at first glance. That prickly outer covering has been developed for protection! Take a chance, what may be hiding inside that person is a prize, a jewel! They may have been waiting for the right person to help shed that prickly outer skin. It will take kindness, patience, understanding, and love. Putting yourself in another's shoes. Telling them you care. Putting your own self aside for the benefit of helping another.
Overtime my daughter and I were collecting the chestnuts, we got better at our process. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect! Collecting the chestnuts from the outer shells got easier as we perfected our technique. We collected many beautiful chestnuts that we can now dry for treats, and share with others. As I look at the pile of prickly shell coverings, I am reminded that I need to be just as patient and diligent toward the prickly people that come into my life. Just maybe with a little practice, a jewel is out there hiding in a prickly nutshell, waiting to be introduced to the world.
~ Jenn, City Gone Country Girl
