This morning I headed out to do a bit of foraging along the footpaths near my home. The blackberry bushes are full of fruit at the moment and, surprisingly, very few people seem to be picking them. It felt like the perfect opportunity to gather a few of nature’s seasonal gifts.
I set off with my handy sandwich box and, as I began picking, I naturally reached for the berries that were easiest to get to. They were ripe, plentiful, and only required a gentle stretch of the hand. No scratches, no effort, no risk.
Before long I had gathered most of the easy pickings, or low-hanging fruit, and my eyes began searching around for more. Then my heart skipped a beat as I looked up into the bushes.
Higher up the brambles were the most beautiful blackberries I’d seen all morning. Larger, darker, glossier – the kind you just know will be sweet and bursting with flavour. The only problem? They weren’t quite so easy to reach.
I found myself stretching further, carefully navigating around the thorny branches. A few prickles caught my sleeves. Thorns scratched my hand and arm. I became slightly tangled in the bramble as I reached for those irresistible berries and I wished I’d remembered to bring gloves!
As I pulled the soft, sweet fruits from the branches and popped them into my plastic box, I couldn’t help but smile.
It struck me how often nature reflects our own lives.
So many of the things we truly want – whether it’s starting a new business, changing careers, deepening relationships, improving our health, or following a lifelong dream – often lie just beyond our comfort zone.
The easy path offers perfectly acceptable “blackberries”. Safe choices. Comfortable decisions. Familiar routines.
But sometimes the richest rewards ask a little more of us.
They ask us to stretch.
To risk a few scratches.
To become a bit uncomfortable.
To navigate the inevitable challenges that come with growth.
And while those prickles might leave the odd mark, they don’t diminish the sweetness of finally reaching the fruit you’ve been aiming for. In fact, they often make it taste even better.
This is one of the reasons I believe spending time in nature is so important.
When we slow down enough to notice what’s happening around us, nature becomes more than just a beautiful backdrop. It becomes a teacher. Every season, every tree, every changing landscape has something to show us if we’re willing to pay attention.
We’re not separate from nature; we’re part of it. So it’s no surprise that the lessons we find outdoors often mirror the challenges we face in our own lives.
So the next time you’re hesitating over something that feels difficult, ask yourself:
Am I settling for the blackberries I can reach without effort? Or am I willing to stretch for the biggest, juciest and best ones?
You might pick up a few scratches along the way, but those juicy, sun-ripened blackberries?
They’re often worth every single one.
The Nature Coach 