Over Ripe Avocados & Return To Normal Life

By Chelsea Adams

Find out more about Chelsea here!

Every avocado I've picked and purchased since July this year has mostly been shit. You know the type, brown and soggy on the inside kind of shit that leaves you sad, slightly mad at the supermarket and wondering why you spent the three dollars at all. Clearly, I just can't pick a good one; or I'm out of luck. Yeah, it may sound like I'm a winging millennial who just wants to eat brunch and have an iced latte, but don't discount me yet. Honestly, though, I think that may have been the catalyst for a few other bad, well maybe not bad, but questionable choices I've made since then. But my intention this week is not to bore you with my adult life questions that are on the verge of realising that I've been obsessing over my career goals since I finished high school, but to mostly remind myself, amongst the celebration of being released from lockdown, that not everything has to be perfect, or return to the way it was. After all, there's been a pandemic. Correction, there is still a pandemic, and things will forever be different to the way they were.

It's now about striving for progress, not perfection, and yes it may be a little cliché, but so far, all the journey's I've taken have been way more fun than the destination or final goal. So why is it that when we are told to "enjoy the moment while it lasts" that we roll our eyes and sigh and say, "Yeah I've heard it all before." I think it's mostly because we've forgotten that the journey part of that quote is actually life. Life; in all its happiness, in all its sadness and all its twists and turns. Everything discovered on the journey only enhances it. I think after the week I've had of starting back at work with more hours and customers who are allowed to sit and have a coffee, it all hit me like a tonne of bricks. It's important to breathe and take a moment to pep talk yourself focusing on the things you have achieved.
 
Coming back to my original point though, I think I forgot to remember that each of those avocadoes grew on a tree. A tree which once grown in height can take 6 years to produce fruit. It might be a little 'woo woo' but I forgot to acknowledge that those 6+ years contributed to me even being able to purchase the avocado. I dismissed the journey and was simply judging the grey-brown slightly green centre without another thought. I wanted the instant gratification of a ripe avocado, every time. Which logistically is flawed. It's a natural product grown in nature, and as many say nature is unpredictable and not always reliable, but we can always count on it to provide for us. So, with that said, my tomatoes planted and zucchini's sprouting, get out into nature, do some gardening, after all, there's no longer a time limit on being outside, Hooray! Take that vitamin D and store it, let it recharge you as we all continue on this journey of change and challenge. We will all adapt together.
 
Below is a picture of my gardening this season. If you've planted anything for spring or summer, I'd love to see it. Comment below.