The Strawberry Chapter 27

The Strawberry Chapter 27

Trinkets Conversation

By Katherine Aguilar

​

This chapter, Strawberry, is me emptying some of my trinket box so it can be filled with new items. One of the new items I have added. To live. It seems pretty simple. Yes, to live to be a part of the life we were given. Not to just get up and go to work and start it all over again. We all get into that every day routine. For different reasons, we get caught up in the same thing every day.

We are meant to live. One item I picked up was painting. It is something new to me. I went to the library, where they were having a free painting class. I painted a picture of trees. It was a peaceful time while I painted the picture. It was something that was different from everyday. It took me out of the normal cycle that I had been in for all these years.

I know I mentioned this in another chapter about learning a language. Gelegeight (progress and change). Small changes in your life can make a big difference.

Plank

Those who wish to help others can not help them if they don’t want to help themselves. Maybe I am not one of those people who can’t seem to help themselves. But at the same time, I am trying to help others. It is because I do not know the difference. But still, I continue to move forward helping others because that seems to be what I do.

The world is meant for us to help each other. I remember we were so poor, but still we helped others during our time. Because it was and still is the right thing to do. If you have two bottles of water and you know someone is thirsty, give them the other bottle.

I only tell this story as an example, not a "hey, look what I did". I am sure many people who are reading this chapter have done the same thing.

I remember a while back, while working at the hotel, a homeless man came in. He seemed to come in every other day, and he wanted to get some coffee. I told him to get some coffee. It so happened that I had brought a homemade apple pie with me for lunch. As he was getting his coffee. I went and retrieved my lunch and told him, “Here, take my lunch.” Let him know that there is a homemade apple pie that would go great with his coffee. He thought for a moment. He said, “I haven't had homemade apple pie in years.” I said, " The lunch is meatloaf. He seemed to be really happy. I told him to enjoy. I think it may have brought him memories of a different time in his life. When things didn’t get off track. It brought to mind memories of compassion shown to my family and me during financial hardship. It was in these moments that we were both enriched. It wasn’t taking a photo of hey, look at me. This is what I did. It is what you do when others are not looking that makes the true difference. It is those moments that you tell no one about. Those are the true moments that are for you only.

I will mention the Plank. It is a reference to the Plank in the Bible, where it tells you to remove the Plank from your eye so you can see clearly. I have been removing the plank. It is a big Plank. While I have been helping others, I should've been doing some extra helping of myself. So that I can, in turn, help others more with time and money. Money is a big part of charity; what is needed to give is time and money. You build a house one brick at a time. If others are helping with the same thing. You have built that house on a solid foundation. As for my own house, it has been slow to build, even though it was built on a solid foundation. It has just been going at a very slow pace. With this book, I have picked up the pace. Now it is moving faster. Help others as you help yourself. But remember, take the plank out of your eye. Do not be afraid to consult the manual for directions on how to build your house. I got caught up in other people's worlds; I was drawn away from building my house. Give back to God what is His, give you your bills what is theirs, and if you have nothing left afterward, give your apple pie and move on.

Fear

Even now, as I write, I am afraid my words will not be conveyed as I want to be conveyed. Still, I write them because it is freeing to me. I am so bottled up with wanting to talk that the words and my fingers are hitting the keyboard at a picked up pace. I turned on the faucet, and it was starting to flow. I asked a few people to read a chapter or two and give me honest feedback. The ones asked were not family. They were coworkers, strangers to my life. People who have not known me for a long time. What they told me I found interesting. It wasn’t what I expected. They both have said the same thing. They said what I have written has taken them to their own memories, not mine. They explain their memory. I look at my story and hear theirs. It gives me the feeling that I am on the right track, even though it is not my trinkets they remember, but their own. So as I type, my fear is slowly fading and being replaced with a fresh trinket of hope to help myself and others.

Improvement

Never forget that there is always room for improvement in yourself. Do not say the phrase “I am set in my ways." If you do that, then you're settling for the lesser of what you can do with yourself. There is always room for improvement. Even as I write, I am trying to improve my wording so that someone can hear what I am trying to say. To hear my voice as if I am talking to them from the chapter. Like we're having a conversation over coffee. When I reach that point, I believe I will be able to make a huge impact. That the reader can remember. So yes, improve yourself and share what you know with others; do not keep it to yourself. It is sharing "with others, it is as if you are adding an extra brick to your house, and you are growing. There are many facets to building who you are".

Research and a conversation with the reader

Yes research. Dig into your faith. Reach deep inside and say, "This manual has been around for thousands of years." Why have so many churches and faiths been set on reading and preaching it? Why has it worked for so many people, and why do so many fight opening it? You will find the answer. It will take time. Some people find the answer quicker than others. I believe it was written because you are “ loved”. Then you could ask, “I loved long before I was even born?” God's love is everlasting. It never ends. When you realize you have His love, you find peace, and evil will want to take that peace from you. You may not be doing what you planned to do in life. Your life may have gotten sidetracked. I believe your story has been written, even if it may have taken you a long time to reach the ending. Still, while you are alive your life is being written.

I speak for myself. I am not a preacher, doctor, lawyer, or even a teacher. But that doesn’t mean I can not still teach by sharing my trinket box with others. A teacher of life, yes, I am. By sharing my trinket box, I am sharing what I have learned and am learning.

To dig deep, people have to be ready to find the answer. If they don’t really want to travel that avenue. Just stop. You may or may not like what you find. If you are not willing to take that chance, just make a note and move on. I can say I put that in my trinket box. Until you are ready to dig.

Staying grounded. Sticking to what you know is right and not wrong. Not what people think you should believe. I lean on my faith; it is my responsibility to share it with others. If some have no interest, that doesn’t mean I can not guide them in any way that grounds them in faith.