Full Strawberry Moon

The Full Strawberry Moon rises June 21, the day after Summer Solstice. The strawberry is the first berry to ripen in late Spring. Long before we could go to Kroger and buy (half-ripe) strawberries year ‘round, this was really the only time of year when we could find sweet, juicy strawberries. Their sweetness was considered good medicine for the heart by many indigenous peoples in the US and Canada. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, strawberries are one of the foods that nourishes our Heart Chi, our summer organ. 

       For me personally, vine-ripened strawberries remind me of my Grandpa Campbell who grew them as a side business in central Florida. He was the kindest and best male figure I had as a child, even though he lived 3 hours away. So eating truly sweet strawberries, brings up fond memories … and isn’t that part of living the sweet life or, as they say in Italy, La Dolce Vita?

       Having just come back from Sicily – as well as Athens and the Greek islands, I have a better sense of what “la dolce vita” encompasses. Sure, it is sweet to travel and experience the beautiful art and architecture of other cultures both current and ancient. It is also sweet to climb back into my own bed again under modern A/C. Though McDonalds & Starbucks are making inroads in the large cities, I found that in the smaller island towns especially, the produce and fish were wonderfully fresh. It was indeed a culinary adventure to eat large, freshly-shucked oysters at an outdoor fish market in Ortygia, Sicily; and eat stewed goat for the first time ever near Delphi (rather tender, not too “gamey”). It was also a bit of sweet relief to come home to the U.S. where I can order medium-rare lamb chops; oddly, not an option in Greece.

       I am so grateful I am able to travel in this way these days. That has not always been the case and the time may come when I won’t be able to do so any longer. Until then, I plan to soak up La Dolce Vita in big ways and small. AND I will make the most of the not-so-sweet times. Oh, I’ve had plenty of those times, too. The trick was learning to spot small, sweet moments whenever I could and nurture them. Not so easy at first, but the more I practiced it, the easier it got. It’s a process that continues to unfold.

       What about you? What sweetness do you want to nurture in your life? How can you find the silver lining in the storm you might find yourself in? While I say we are celebrating the Full Strawberry Moon this Friday and Saturday, what I invite you to celebrate is finding your own La Dolce Vita even in the midst of heat waves, personal trials and/or political uncertainty.