The Personal Touch - Herb Vinegars

I gently tore the herbs, delicate round leaves of oregano and dainty stems of thyme, before placing them in bottles of white wine vinegar to steep for several weeks. I tore the leaves mindful that between my fingers I held growing things, aware when machines do this work, the washing, the tearing, the touching, we loose the human touch of personal, literal contact.

Machinery, modern convenience allows us so much more free time, with so much more 'done.' In my case, hundreds, no thousands upon thousands, of bottles of herb vinegars are filled and prepared to be trucked cross country to stores shelves while I'm washing, tearing and tucking leaves into jars.

Yet when machines do this work we loose touch with an inner awareness offered through our sensory selves - touch, smell, sight, sound, taste. We loose touch with a sense of relatedness, not only to green growing things, but to the parts of ourselves and our ancestors that remember digging, planting, tending, harvesting, chopping, tearing, savoring.

I gently tore the herbs, delicate round leaves of oregano and dainty stems of thyme, knowing when machines do this work I miss an appreciation for presence and process. When I live machine-like, I miss not only the growing things around me but the growing things inside me. I do not want to miss anymore of life.

The bottles of herb vinegars now sit atop a closet shelf in the dark. I remember them by occasionally dropping in to check on them. I am grateful. They allow me to remember the beauty of personal touch in Mother's nature and in my own nature. They remind me of who I really am, one who loves beauty especially in simple things.

Who are you? What do you love? What grows inside you?

-Dawn! Imagine the Shift, 11 June 2010
dawn@imaginetheshift.com