Blackberry Winter

Well, we’re just days away from June. Memorial Day weekend was kind of the unofficial kickoff to Summer. But the weird thing is that I don’t remember the beginning of Summer having temperatures that dipped into the 50s. After mentioning this prolonged springtime in conversation, someone told me, “Oh, it’s just a Blackberry Winter.”

Even with growing up in North Hall, I had never heard that term before. But I learned it’s a bit of old Southern weather wisdom. Blackberry Winter refers to a brief cold snap in late spring that tends to show up right around the time blackberry bushes are in bloom. It’s nature’s little fake-out…a reminder not to get too comfortable too quickly.

There’s something oddly comforting about this little bit of folklore. It reminds me that the rhythms of life, like the weather, aren’t always linear. Just when we expect smooth sailing, we get a chilly interruption. But those unexpected turns are often followed by something fruitful. After all, the blackberry blossoms that mark this cold spell give way to the plumpest berries, so I’m told.

In our spiritual lives, we sometimes hit a “Blackberry Winter” too. Right when things seem to be blooming, we get hit with a cold wind. A challenge. A disappointment. A delay. But that doesn’t mean things aren’t growing. Often, it’s just part of the cycle. The fruit will come, in time.

So, if you’ve been feeling a little thrown off by the weather—or by life—take heart. God is still at work, even in the cold snaps. And the sweetest things often come right after them.

May God hold you,

Rev Chris Hester