Crave the Wave

I was watching television this morning and saw one of those Ocean Spray commercials where the guys are standing in the water in waders and one of them is as dense as a box of rocks. It got me wondering about the whole floating field of cranberries, so I did a little reading. The ad is showing us what they call "wet harvesting." Cranberries are grown in a bog which is flooded at harvest time, then the plants are agitated, and the berries are skimmed off.

That started me thinking about the term "bog." Typically, it has a negative connotation of being weighted down in muck and mire. It is frequently used to describe a situation that seems overwhelming and oppressive. A bog is defined as "wet, spongy ground with soil composed of decayed vegetable matter." Well, no wonder.

We often experience that in our relationships. We get bogged down in routine or fear or disappointment. We become the rotting sludge below the surface. Sounds pretty bleak, huh?

Well, that's why I think we should take a lesson from those gloriously red little spheres of goodness. The cranberry floats to the top and bobs around until it is scooped up. The reason it does this is because it has air pockets inside. I find this process very fascinating and I think we could all stand to be a little more cranberry-esque.

Don't mistake me for a cheerleader suggesting you adopt that annoyingly mindless effervescence that will make me want to punch you. (In fact, cranberries are naturally very tart. As the commercial says, don't add any sugar.) I'm simply suggesting that a little bouyance might offer us a little resilience as we weather the seasons of our relationships.

Taking a cue from the cranberry, give yourself a few air pockets. Translation: Breathe. When you begin to feel bogged down, for whatever reason, stop and take a deep breath. Spend a few moments in meditation or just inhaling and exhaling. It's remarkable what that will do to clear your head, give you balance, and help you rise above all the garbage encroaching on you.

There are a number of other aspects of the cranberry that can be applied here, such as the anti-oxidant properties that help purge our bodies of toxins and damaging free-radicals. WOW, do we need to do that periodically on an emotional and mental level! I also find it interesting that the wet harvesting is used when cranberries will be used for juices, but dry harvesting is used when the berries will be sold fresh. Haven't really worked out the parallels for that one yet, but I'm sure something will come to me.

At any rate, I found that to be a rather inspiring little revelation. Now, I'm going to go spend some time breathing so I can float to the surface of the bog I've found myself in since yesterday. Maybe you'll do the same.