Snagged Shorts and Tangled Thoughts
How bird netting in the blueberry patch handed me a life lesson.
This has been a marvelous summer for picking blueberries in my yard. I’ve been tending the bushes for years, but at last, we’ve reached the stage where we have more than we can eat fresh. I’ve been listening to audiobooks when I’m picking. That’s 30 minutes every other day, and I can breeze through an audiobook quickly! If I can get outside before the humidity, heat, and bugs all converge in one horrible Venn diagram of unpleasantness, it’s an enjoyable interlude in my often-overwhelming days.
The best Venn diagram is when sunshine, a cool breeze, and bunnies and birds are all part of the experience.
I’ve discovered another benefit to having my phone out there to play the audiobooks in my earbuds: I can make a call if necessary. Why would anyone need to make a call while picking berries?
We have installed netting like a tent over the row of bushes to prevent birds from stealing all the berries just before they ripen to perfection. Well, my husband installed it. I just gave orders.
I frequently throw on a pair of cargo shorts to go out there. As I move around the plants, bending to find the hidden blueberries down low and behind leaves, my backside pushes out and toward the netting. Numerous times, this has proven problematic. It happened again a few days ago.
I stood up after picking the jewels from one low branch and found my backside fastened to the netting by the button on the back pocket of the shorts. I set down the container of berries and tried to work the netting free, but it only wrapped more times around the button. This left me with several choices—after panicking:
A – Attempt to rip the button off the pants and free my rear. However, buttons seem to fall of when we want them to stay put and stay put when we want them to fall off.
B – Continue to wrestle the netting and hope to loosen it patiently.
C – Make a phone call for help. This only works when my husband is inside the house. He isn’t so keen on calls at work. How does someone tell their boss they need to go get their wife’s behind loose from the bird netting?
D – Somehow, remove the shorts without falling over, free the button, and put the shorts back on.
I chose option B.
And then I promptly got stuck again on the next bush. So far, I have not needed to use option D. And I’m sure the neighbors and passersby thank me for that.
There’s Always a Life Lesson
What thought patterns repeatedly tangle you up in midlife?
Is it the “too late” mindset? Do you repeatedly catch yourself believing your best years are behind you? It’s easy to get stuck thinking that change isn’t possible anymore. But this limits you from embracing opportunities.
Is it comparision? Seeing friends achieve milestones we haven’t reached or seeing someone else retire at an early age when we’re sure we’ll be punching a time clock until we’re 85 could lead to dissatisfaction if our thoughts get twisted. This makes it harder to appreciate your unique path and timeline and even miss some of the celebrations and blessings.
Perhaps it’s an identity crisis. A disconnect from the roles you once played. This catches us off guard when we least expect it and causes questions about purpose, worth, and direction. But it can also be an opportunity to rediscover or redefine.
Those snags are tricky. Just like the bird netting and my cargo shorts. I know from past experience what to watch out for, what not to wear. And yet, I forget, and suddenly there I am, wondering if will need to strip in the blueberry patch.
Does one of those resonate with your experience? Comment on the post. I’m here to support you! Or share what catches you off guard.