Sometimes life offers us unexpected surprises. I was quite interested to see that as I peeled a satsuma this morning and pulled the segments open that right in the heart of the fruit was a tiny replica of the larger outer one. In all my days, I don’t remember seeing this before and, sad as I am, I was amazed, so much so that I simply had to go and show it to my family. There were a few things that fascinated me about my somewhat odd discovery.
Firstly, how nature never ceases to take us by surprise, there is always something wonderful about looking at baby’s hands and feet, they’re not really different to those of an adult, just downsized somewhat. I can never believe how intricate they are on a baby, with the smallest toenails and fingernails imaginable. My satsuma was the same, the outer flesh was what I expected, it looked like any other satsuma, the small fruit in the middle was intricate, dainty yet still had that wonderful citrus taste and I am reminded that God is a God of the minutia of life.
Secondly, there is something about protection here, it was as though the smaller, more vulnerable fruit was encased within the larger fruit, giving it protection, keeping it safe from harm. I think that as I look back over the last ten months and at all we have experienced together, one thing that has been precious to me is the way that the strong have looked after the more vulnerable. People seem to have stepped up to the plate and helped those who have needed a hand during these times, doing shopping, keeping in touch, and doing what they can, not for financial gain, recognition, or reward, but simply because they can.
Finally, my satsuma reminds me that we can all be surprised by some of the very ordinary things of life, we have a tendency to think that breath taking experiences come from the big impressive moments of life, when we first catch a glimpse of a panorama open up in front of us, when we appreciate people doing daring and impressive feats, when we experience the big and yet, sometimes, the unexpected comes when we least expect it, in the ordinary and mundane. Always be ready to be amazed, it doesn’t matter how old we are, there are still surprises waiting in store for us.