The Lessons of Rhubarb

Did you know that you can avoid crying when you cut an onion if you refrain from cutting the very end of the onion off until the last possible cut? It's true... or, you can just wear contact lenses because apparently that prevents your eyes from tearing up as well.

Rhubarb? I am not so lucky.

I am definitely wearing my contacts, but just about lost them in the sliced rhubarb as my eyes teared up.

I shed a tear for the memories held deep inside of cutting rhubarb last summer and being called a "rhubarb buddy"...

I shed a tear for the lessons I was taught as the rhubarb was cut - not just about how to slice it best for stewing as opposed to baking sliced rhubarb, but the lesson that rhubarb is like love - the more of it that you give away, the more you get the next day. It's true - as soon as you pick all the rhubarb, magically, two days later - there is more than what you originally started with. I actually used to think that I could eat/stew/freeze/bake with all the rhubarb that grew in that little, city garden. I would actually get upset when it was given away to church ladies, neighbours, and co-workers. However, by the end of the summer, I learned that she was right. The more you give away, the more it grows...

I shed a tear thinking about the fact that there won't be a rhubarb buddy this year; that most of the rhubarb will go to seed, and that no one here will eat rhubarb and custard with me...

... and I shed a tear out of shear frustration for not remembering how to cut for stewing as opposed to baking.

However, most of the tears are shed because this broken stalk of rhubarb will never, fully reach it's "rhubarb potential". So, dear rhubarb buddy, if there is any chance that you are out in the garden this summer and picking rhubarb, and you find yourself in need of a rhubarb buddy... I won't say a word. I won't beg you not to share it with others or plead for you to make the amazing sauce just right so that it melts over vanilla ice cream... instead, I will simply rejoice that this particular stalk was picked, dusted off, and called upon. I won't hold my breath, that would be stupid - not to mention painful - but will continue to grow. Hopefully, before I break into seed, you'll pick me.