I love Berrys!
I love berries. I realized and verbalized this to myself as I perused the plethora of raspberries blackberries blueberries and strawberries stocked in my refrigerator.
Raspberries have always been my favorite. My friend recently remarked that I must go through a lot of them, which is true. Eaten by the handful, muddled in cocktails, perched upon desserts and appetizer trays, I love those little red wonders.
My Goddaughter came to mind as I reached for them this particular night. Now a proud member of the Berry family by marriage, many of whom serve in the military, she and her husband recently relocated to Quantico. I read with reservation her new address she had carefully scribed for me on a post it note. The Berry family, she wrote beside it; not surprisingly, she is still a Mills in my book.
I realized in that moment how much I love berries and Berrys of all types
One day prior, I watched as she finished packing the U-Haul, with Tucker, her little white truck tucked on a flatbed pulled behind. I saw her as a baby, a child and a woman all at the same time. My little girl; a military wife set out on her first out-of-state deployment. It was a melancholy moment as we shared our last hug in her empty apartment. She reminded me that this was where it all started; she and I had toured the apartment together 10 short months ago, selecting it on the spot and signing the lease, eager to set up her first home in preparation for her husband’s return from deployment. I loved the fact that it was eight short miles from my home on the island, allowing us easy access for impromptu walks on the beach, crab leg dinners and quick dips in the pool. I loved knowing she was there to water my flowers and care for my canine companion at the drop of a hat, and she always enjoyed helping out.
We had come full circle together from the beginning to the end of her first home with her new husband. Now she and I stood together, staring at the empty walls in disbelief how quickly the time had gone, and how soon she would be living in another state, charting the next chapter of her life as a mobile military family.
I feel overwhelmed with pride and excitement for them and their new lives yet closing this chapter brought me to tears. Similar to the revelation that high school graduation is more of a milestone for parents than teens, I realized a significant era had ended for us all.
So as I sit and sip my Cherry Berry martini, I reminisce on our last night together when we shared the same. I had never made the connection between berries and Berrys, but I am glad I did because from now on, every berry I consume will spark special memories, and I know it will occur often.
