Going interfaith apple picking was definitely a new and an enriching experience for me. I personally found it special because it reminded me of going apple picking inMichigan when I was a child. Although it was a small group and it was an hour-long drive to the apple orchard, it seemed everyone had a great time. After an hour of apple picking, we ate lunch and then had our interfaith discussion.

I found it interesting that we discussed how nature and our lives are intertwined. The cyclical seasons can be correlated with a person’s life and death. We touched on the topic that people try to evade the truth. The truth that we have a short time on earth, life and death are a part of everyone’s lives, and that it is really hard to let go. I found that this discussion made me reminisce about my grandpa. I took care of him over the summer while he was in hospice. He was 85 years old and sadly passed away in August. I found that it was really hard for me to finally accept his death. It is this acceptance that challenges everyone, no matter what religion or race you are. Also I find an unknown quote to be appropriate: “When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.” In my humble opinion it is this simple but difficult act of living on that makes us stronger because we cherish those memories. We may never be ready to leave our loved ones, but our loved ones must remember the good memories so we can live on.

– Emma Whipple

Junior, Political Science Major

Published in the October 2010 Issue of the Interfaith Review