Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Tuesday Tried It - I'm a Banana. And you?


I asked each girl what fruit described them best.  

One said, "An apple.  I'm a bit chubby, but I'm really pretty good inside."  

Another said, "A pear.  I'm sweet and tender, but I'm thin-skinned and my feelings get hurt easily.  I guess you could say I bruise quick." 

Still another said, "A strawberry.  Sometimes I'm sweet . . . and sometimes I'm not."  

Next I passed around a basket filled with a variety of fruits.  Each girl picked her favorite and began to eat it. 

By the time they got this graphic from Pinterest that was printed on a piece of cardstock,



they could better appreciate that wishing they looked like someone else was just as silly as wishing away all the fruit in the world but apples.  They better knew (and appreciated). . .  they had such sweet bodies.      

(Dear Readers,

When blogging first began, I used to return a comment on every comment you left.  After a couple of years and writing pages and pages of returned comments, I discovered most of you were no-reply commenters. Which meant all of the return-comments I wrote went into the internet black hole and you never saw them.  I felt like Amelia Bedilia and quit return-commenting.  It's bothered me ever since that when you comment it appears you are ignored.  No more.  I will return-comment in the post's comment section.

Thank you for being such faithful readers.

Your neighbor,

Jane)   

8 comments:

Tyler - Danielle - Emree said...

Love thus ansaogy.

Rachel said...

I want to know WHY you're a banana.

Deanna/Mimi said...

Jane.....you are so amazing in every way. You are the perfect example of every role a woman can have or be in life. Not only I but others have mentioned to me of your abilities and how you "shine". Thank you for teaching all of us beautiful ways. Please give it serious thought to start writing books...you could then reach thousands, if not millions, of women with your wisdom. You are that good my friend.

Jill said...

I love this and need to remember myself! I went to a great fireside a few years ago given by my blogging friend April and her sister and they used the metaphor of different breeds of dogs. This has been super helpful as I try to parent Whitney through her teen years. She has cousins and friends built like Poodles and Greyhounds but she is built like a German Shepherd so comparing herself to them seems ridiculous when presented this way.

Neighbor Jane Payne said...

Thank you Danielle. Seeing life through fruits was helpful to me as well.

Oh Rachel. You KNEW I wanted to tell, didn't you? I'm a banana. Because banana's are fairly predictable, unlike oranges or apples. And, they're practical (39 cents a pound) and useful. You can eat them plain or smash them and use them for baby food, you can make banana bread or banana cream pie with them, or fancy them up and make a chocolate covered frozen bananas. They go well with pineapple and oranges, and are necessary in banana splits. Basically, they just like to help out and they're nice to have around.

Deanna, you are so very generous with your kind words. Thank you. I appreciate them.

Jill, dogs is a great analogy. Especially for Whitney because she wants a puppy so bad. Hmmmm. Dogs. Well, I know I'm not a chihuahua.

Michelle said...

I need to add to the banana comparison. If you'll recall, last Mother's Day the whole family was Skyping together, and we asked everyone to choose a fruit for Janey Payney. Ty said "banana" because when you put a banana in a sack lunch, everything else comes out tasting like a banana. Jane has a powerful influence on others.

Also, I'm really glad the post went the way it did. I was feeling pretty sad for those young ladies who couldn't just give themselves a compliment without throwing criticism in with it. That picture teaches a valuable lesson.

Thank you.

Amie said...

The comments here are amazing. Your analogy of the banana and Michelle's. Wow.

Nikki said...

I think by your description, I'm a banana. And by the girl's description of the pear, I used to be that. But not so much anymore. That's good because I don't like pears anyway. ;)

Do you know what kind of looks and questions you get when you buy 100 bananas at Costco? I do now. We love bananas.