….much depends on dinner (Quote from Lord Byron)

Apples have a reputation for both good and evil. Let’s face it, the Bible begins with an apple story implying they tempt us into wrong-doing. Sleeping Beauty took a bite of her apple and fell asleep for a hundred years (or however long….it’s many years since I saw the Disneyfied film of the fairy tale).

They also have good reputations – an apple a day keeps the doctor away, to name but one.

My view? They are handy convenient food without the fat and calories of crisps, they make pies, chutneys and cider. They bring sweet pleasure to the eater and nourishment too.

Today my heart and thoughts have been with a friend who received some bad news and I wanted a really symbolic gesture of goodness. I put my thinking cap on and decided the apple’s role as a bringer of good things would make a nice message. I added a sparkle using my new toy to show radiance and light. I then worried about the apple’s bad reputation and whether or not it would be appropriate to use the apple as my symbol of goodness.

I thought of Eve – she ate the apple and discovered passion. That to me seems like a good outcome. She discovered (albeit unwillingly) the world outside Eden and even with its imperfections I reckon that’s a better world.

Sleeping Beauty too – if my recollection serves me right her prince wasn’t alive when she ate the apple. He came to her because of her 100 year sleep. She suffered but was rewarded with the great gift of love.

So I decided that yes, the apple is exactly right. It shows that even good things can sometimes have little worms…or poison….or evil but these evil things can be overcome. They can be fought. We can win. We can enjoy our apples. We can taste their succulent flesh and drink their nectar. We can dispel the worm, overcome poison and banish evil from our lives.

We can win, all we have to do is stay strong and keep faithful to the things we believe in. For my friend – stay strong and look after what’s dear. Love and be loved.