I never eat strawberries. 

Not because I don't like them,

But because they are tremendously inconvenient.

 

Even though I often dream of the sweetness offered by their flesh,

Not even my most persistent craving can distract from the burden they bear.

 

The problem is that you can't just pop one into your mouth and taste its wonders,

You take one glorious bite,

Then that's it.

 

You're left there awkwardly holding the stem

Trying to decide if there's any strawberries left that you can eat

 without getting your taste bud too close to the small green leaves

And as you desperately search for a trash can

Your hands get so sticky that it seems like they will never be free of the cursed strawberry juice

 

So I never eat strawberries.

But last week I found myself holding one,

Debating whether or not a few seconds of deliciousness was worth the hindrance that would follow.

And as it mocked me from where it sat in my palm,

I knew in my heart that my fear of the stem would defeat me once again

 

But as I sat there,

Just me and my dilemma and that beautiful strawberry,

An idea popped into the most simplistically brilliant part of my mind,

And built a bridge across the river of my worries.

 

I didn’t know how it would go over

But I didn’t overthink it,

And with the adrenaline of my wavering bravery,

I put the whole strawberry in my mouth, 

stem and all.

 

It didn't feel quite right in my mouth,

But my hand was empty,

No stickiness and no horrid stem.

The fruit was still juicy as ever,

And I was happy to just be eating my strawberry.

 

Of course immediately after I had swallows my strawberry, it crossed my mind that the stems could be poisonous,

And even though I was was somewhat worried,

It felt like I had conquered the world,

Done something that had never been done before.

And if I had to die for that,

Then so be it.

 

That never happened though, 

Thankfully.

I found out that eating the stems of strawberries is actually good for digestion.

An unforeseen benefit.

 

And in that moment I realized that my life

Though it is full of stems,

Does not have to be defined by them.

 

And I shouldn't only go for half of my dreams to avoid them,

I can gobble up all the world has to offer,

And even it is difficult sometimes

I'll still be okay,

And not only that,

I will be happier.

 

So I will eat all the strawberries from now on,

And soon the stems won't even phase me at all.