A Gentle Reminder from Wild Berries|野いちごがくれた、やさしい気づき

Emika

Last week, I was back in my hometown, located in the suburbs of Matsumoto, Nagano.

In the morning, after staying overnight at my family’s house, I was picking some wild raspberries in the tiny garden in our yard.

Emika

The seasons of blackberries, gooseberries, and figs next to raspberry bushes are also around the corner!

The peaceful garden and those bright, fresh raspberries reminded me that every piece of food is a gift from nature—no matter how processed it might seem.

Even with packaged products at supermarkets or fast meals at chain restaurants, they ultimately all begin the same way from seeds: grown, nurtured, and harvested from the Earth.

I guess we all learned this as children, yet isn’t it funny how easily we can overlook such a simple truth once we grow up and get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life?

I’m also guilty of it.

Working at an industrialized food company, every single day, I wrestle with the realities of mass production and waste, and the way food has become so commodified in our fast-paced lives.

These are systemic challenges far beyond my control. At times, that harsh reality leaves me feeling helpless.

And yet, the answer was right there…offered quietly by tiny berries in our small backyard.

Emika

Perhaps all we need, sometimes, is just to pause… imagine the long journey of the food in front of us, and honor the quiet miracle of nature that makes each bite possible.