Why you can trust my blueberries.

I met Alex when he was 9. He and I have always had a very special understanding: Alex can be himSelf with me. A truly sacred gift for this boy who has few places to BE. For two whole weeks this year, he got to wear his pajamas most of the time (cooling off through many water fights), eat his favorite foods and play video games to his heart’s content.
He was free to tell me that he feels I should really be his mother, there must have been a glitch in the system before he was born. I was free to hug him and tell him how honored I am to be one of his mothers in this life.He joined into a very cold water fight. Giggling and accepting. Ducking in and out of the safety of “Time Out” or “Stop,” knowing he could trust us to honor his request.He approached one of my friends, with a cup of very cold water, telling her I’m feeling very mischievous right now. The resulting splash to her front, while shocking, was a true “I like you and want you to be part of the fun and this is my way of letting you know ” from Alex. A sign she took well. Reinforcing his safety in our community of friends. ♥Alex has a unique relationship with food. In a typical unschooling manner, I’ve offered many different foods to Alex, with great consideration for what he would like and simultaneously without attachment to his reception. We’ve talked about what he likes and how that might translate into other, similar, foods he might one day taste. For years. With respect. While the rest of the house was asleep, I offered him pan au chocolat. Oh yeah, French Pastries. The boy loves bread, butter and good chocolate. He trusted me enough to take a leap, try what he’d never tasted in his 14 years of life. One bite, viola! He.is.in.heaven! ♥ When in my backyard, his sister ate several ripe strawberries from my plants. I mentioned to Alex, who eats store-bought apples and grapes, should he feel the desire to branch out in the fruit department, he should be sure his fruit comes straight from the plant, warmed by the sun, grown with love ♥ if only as a personal favor to me & to the fruit, which deserves to be tasted in it’s best form.
As they packed their last things into their car, I ran to the blueberry bushes (Lucius & Narcissa, Legacy blueberries) to get the ripe handful they offered.I held out my hand and everyone, including Alex, took a berry. We shared them like communion. All of us acutely aware of, and working to not call to much attention to, Alex’s reaction. He hummed his tasting process. When it wasn’t immediately rejected, it was given careful consideration, the whole experience. He smiled, I beamed, we connected. He gave it a shot and it wasn’t bad. I am worthy of his trust. That’s a great place to stand.