I believe in Tomatoes.

I Believe in Tomatoes

I am on the phone with my dying grandma. We are talking about how well my tomato patch has fared this season. Grandma has cancer and I know and she knows that she’s dying, but we don’t let that come between us. We talk about how good tomatoes taste with a little salt on the side. We talk about how we can’t wait until next season, because we bet the tomatoes will be even better next season. We both share a great love for tomatoes and gardening.

My grandma died on September 22nd,this fall, my dad’s birthday. I cried and cried. The first thought that came to my mind was that she will never grow another tomato plant or eat another tomato again. I know she is out of her pain though. I went to her funeral and there was one very special fruit there, tomatoes. I grabbed three of them and grabbed the salt and just ate away. I just couldn’t stop crying the whole time because these are my grandma. This is my memory of her. Tomatoes. Tomatoes, one plump, red, juicy one is enough to make me cry. What was even worse is that a week after Grandma died, so did the tomatoes. A frost came and wiped them all out!

I think of all that has happened and I have come to the conclusion that I am blessed. Blessed to have such a loving family blessed to have had an amazing Grandma, blessed to have a fruit to remember her by, blessed to know that God will help me through any trial and give me the courage to love without worrying about tomorrow.

Life isn’t fair. My parents say that to me all the time when I complain about how unfair it is that I can’t do something like stay the night at a friend’s house. That’s shallow, but looking at the saying now, it brings a whole new, deeper meaning. To me it means that life can be so unkind and unfair to you but life always gives something fair in the end to have, to hold in your heart forever. Life has given me tomatoes. I thank God for tomatoes, the one thing that brings me peace and comfort when nothing else will. Tomatoes have shown me that loss is just a natural thing that happens, that we need to cope with. Tomatoes are my rock and my comfort and I thank God that he made life unfair and challenging, so I can learn to be a strong person and live with life.