Why a name like Strawberry Papaya? I'll answer that with a
question. Do you have at least one memory – a moment, an event, an impression,
a sight, a smell, a taste, a sound, a word – that inscribed itself in your heart, that you can summon at any
moment and bring back all the good and warming feels? I do.
As a child, I lived for summer. One of the things that I
loved was the Good Humor truck’s evening rounds, when our moms would give us money
to buy something sweet and cold. Growing up
vegetarian, I periodically ate dairy, but didn't really like it, and often chose dairy-free. My
favorite treat was a dreamy ice pop – that sadly, is no longer made – a swirl
of clear pink and bright orange on a wooden stick. It was yummy, but in truth
it was the colors of the ice pop that captivated me. There was something about that pink and
orange swirl I adored, and that today, brings back all the warm, cozy feelings
of a childhood spent in summer with my young friends, my family, and the community where I felt safe and free and loved.
Now fast forward to young adulthood. Traveling through the
Caribbean right after high school, I was introduced to the intoxicating
tropical fruits native to the hot climates. One of them was the
strawberry papaya. The sweetest of all the papaya varieties, its flavor is an
amalgam of fresh berries and peaches, with a hint of butterscotch and vanilla.
Heavenly.
But it was its color that wooed me. When ripe, a strawberry
papaya has a bright orange skin and pure pink flesh. The first time I ate one,
on the side of a roadway between Ocho Rios and Port Maria, every good, cheering
memory of childhood was triggered, and the endorphins flowed. Strawberry papayas became my symbol of all
things good: pink and orange, sweet, refreshing, soothing, nourishing, and delicious.
All the good feels of childhood were reinforced by the fact that my partner and
I were on a moped, on a tear in a beautiful country, young and strong, grateful
and happy. The spell was cast.
Strawberry Papaya is going to reach for all those good feels:
the moments of meaning, the journeys we’re on, the things that matter, the
services we can render, the things we stay alive for. Whole-hearted living.
Topics of discussion may include healing and forgiveness, mystery and wonder,
purpose and meaning, imagination, our lineage to the Earth, transcending anger,
letting go, protecting ourselves and our loved ones from toxic people and
situations, spiritual training and wellness, food choices, compassion, and
love. I may dwell on specific ideas and personal practices like why you should
let your hair grow, eat more fruit, grow from adversity, or sleep on the floor
instead of a bed.
I have no interest in website traffic and numbers, only that
what I share may be of service to others. I hope you’ll visit now and then and
add your thoughts. Let me know if there’s subjects you’d like to see. Tell me
if I’m hitting the mark or missing it. Don’t be afraid to criticize. Don’t be
afraid to love.
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