Life and lemon trees

My Lemon Tree

There is a lemon tree in my garden. It does not perform to my personal needs and requirements. It is an all or nothing tree and I recently realised that it is an interesting reflection of some aspects of my life.

I like order and control, in a loose and artistic way. Not too rigid, definitely not too tidy or symmetrical but a bit of sensible arrangement in the way things are done.

My lemon tree challenges me on this. I want a few ripe and ready to use lemons all year round. Not too much to ask from the only fruit bearing tree in my garden. But my lemon tree is either overwhelmingly laden with beautiful, round, tantalizing, margaritas-waiting-to-happen or barren and thorny. No middle ground, no in between, no moderation. This is not what I want and need. For a few months out of the year I run around with bags of lemons in my car, desperate for someone who will appreciate my fruitful generosity. The rest of the year I am forced to BUY lemons. I would almost rather do without as an act of personal boycott against this uncooperative tree.

I heard a strangely familiar complaint welling up inside of me as someone commented on my gloriously abundant tree the other day. “It’s great now but wait till next month” I said a little churlishly. How often do I complain about too much of something simply because it isn’t exactly as and when I planned it? How often do the things that come my way all come at once and I get to ‘give away’ but worry that next month will be barren and thorny.

So what have I got now, today that is juicy and ripe and ready? Time, energy, a bit of wisdom I’ve picked up along the way. Take it, use it or give it but don’t leave it till tomorrow. I’ve seen what happens to those sad little lemons that stay too long on the tree. Good for the compost heap but you can’t make lemonade or squeeze them on your salad. I’ll try to remember to enjoy the lemons I have today, give away as many as I can and worry about next month when it arrives. Maybe someone else’s tree will be ripe and ready.

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