Once upon a time, there was a girl named Hazel, who lived in a small village surrounded by lush forests and majestic mountains. Hazel was known by everyone as the girl who knew everything, for she had an insatiable curiosity and always wanted to learn more and more. With her charmingly large nose and bright eyes that reflected the sunlight, Hazel ventured out every day to discover something new in the world around her.
One day, while wandering through the woods near her home, Hazel found a small, shiny red berry. Intrigued, she picked it up and wondered what this wild fruit was called. Determined to find the answer, she ran home and asked her grandmother, who told her it was called a “hawthorn berry.”
From that moment on, Hazel made it her mission to learn the names of all the wild fruits in the world. She started with the area around her village, then expanded to nearby towns, and little by little, she widened her search.
When Hazel turned ten years old, she decided it was time to embark on a journey beyond the borders of her home. With a backpack full of books, a notebook to record her discoveries, and a magnifying glass to examine berries up close, she said goodbye to her family and set off into the world.
She traveled through enchanted forests, crossed crystal-clear rivers, and climbed towering mountains. In every place she visited, she asked the local people about the wild fruits. She met an elderly woman in a distant village who showed her a blue berry called a “blueberry,” and a young man in a valley who introduced her to a green fruit known as a “gooseberry.”
But soon, Hazel discovered something puzzling. In some places, the same fruit had different names. The “hawthorn berry” from her village was known as “mayberry” in one English village, and the “blueberry” was called a “bilberry” in faraway lands.
At first, this diversity of names filled Hazel with frustration. How could the same fruit have so many different names? She began writing down all the different names she found, filling pages and pages of her notebook. She felt that she needed to bring order to the chaos, that each fruit should have just one name.
Years passed, and Hazel continued to travel. She visited distant continents, exotic jungles, and mysterious deserts. In each place, she found new fruits and new names. However, her desire to organize everything began to cause her more anxiety than joy. She realized that her relentless quest was stealing the joy of discovering and enjoying the wonders of nature.
One day, while resting under the shade of an old tree in a distant country, Hazel met a wise old man named Adam. He had spent his whole life studying plants and their medicinal uses. When Hazel told him about her mission and her frustration, Adam smiled kindly and said:
“My dear Hazel, names are just labels that humans put on things to better understand them. But the true essence of a fruit—its taste, its aroma, its texture—doesn’t change with its name. Instead of worrying so much about the names, enjoy the diversity and beauty of each fruit you find.”
These words resonated in Hazel’s heart. She reflected on her journey and realized that she had been so focused on the names that she had forgotten to enjoy the journey itself. She decided to relax and allow each fruit, each berry, to teach her something new beyond its name.
Over time, Hazel became a respected sage in many villages. Her knowledge of wild fruits was unmatched, but what set her apart was her wise and serene attitude. She taught others to appreciate nature without worrying too much about labels.
One day, while walking through the forest where she had grown up, Hazel found a small, shiny red berry. She picked it up and smiled. She remembered her first encounter with the “hawthorn berry” and how her adventure had begun. Now, instead of worrying about its name, she simply enjoyed its beauty and let herself be carried away by the memories.
Hazel sat under her favorite tree and wrote one last reflection in her notebook:
“I have traveled the world, I have learned a thousand names for a single fruit, and I have learned that names, though important, are not what truly matters. What matters is the flavor of life, the sweetness of moments, and the diversity that enriches us. Today, I am happy not because I know all the names, but because I’ve learned to enjoy each fruit, no matter what it’s called.”
And so, Hazel lived her days with a smile on her face and a heart full of wisdom, teaching everyone to appreciate the wonders of nature without worrying too much about the names. Her journey not only taught her about fruits, but about life itself, and she left an indelible mark on all those fortunate enough to know her.