I grew up enjoying apples, especially crisp yellow ones. The textures, flavor, and juice touched me all over. It was hard to control myself! One bite triggered the desire for more. Soon I had juice running down my neck, a smile on my face, and a hand reaching for another.
At the time, I could not imagine apples being a symbol of anything. While interesting, everyone knew what an apple was. What more could there be?
Then the big apple, New York, came into my life. From my first introduction on a holiday when I was a young teenager through the different times I have lived in the City, New York is more than a place. It is a state of mind, it is an attitude, and it is an experience.
Later on, my brother went to work for Apple. I thought it was a passing fad. With a testimony here and there, I tried my first Apple product. Soon, one gave birth to another. Decades later, I have Apple mobiles, computers, and music players. I love Apple products! When I see an Apple symbol my heart smiles.
Symbols tell a story. For each it is different. Think of the symbols for brands you love and dislike. For me, the stories for every symbol tumble over themselves in my mind. Each creates an emotion that takes me to a unique place. Even as I start thinking of the symbols that rest in my heart, I realize that when I see anything to do with grapes, I am transported to another place and time. One writer noted the story that anchors the emotions with this symbol. “After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me.” (1 Corinthians 11.25)
I know today will be filled with symbols of all kinds and description. My encounters are opportunities to remember, learn, and act. We can do more. Symbols are tools in our journey. We should use them according to their worth.
