I have the nicest friends ever!
Really I do! And what is life without great friendships?! Picture this- to my
friends (a couple) hearing I declare my longing for a local dish, and my
reluctance to cook it for myself. My friend quickly offers for his wife to cook
it and share with me. The offer itself was kind enough and I suitably extended
my gratitude. Of course good manners wasn’t going to make me remind them to do
it, if they ‘conveniently’ forgot. Imagine my surprise therefore when she calls
me, saying the food was ready, and she was willing to drive out to get it to
me. Disregarding the distance she’d have to drive under pouring rain, just to fulfill a ‘stomach’s’ desire?! I was beyond humbled! I carried that flask reverently
filled with awe at such kindness, because honestly I dare say I couldn’t have
done that myself!
I figured, if she drove out all
the way to get it to me, then I might as well honor her by eating it hot and
fresh! So I set the flask on the dining table, fetch a fork, say a blessing, send
another heart felt message of thanks to the couple, then inviting all to join
me I settle in to begin my meal.
My son over my shoulder, looks at
the meal and says, ‘it looks like it’s the dogs’ meal!!’ Honestly, if he was
close to me, he’d have ‘felt’ the crack of thunder on the nearest part of his
body that I could reach. As he wasn’t, I had to content myself with strongly
reprimanding him verbally! Imagine?! How dare you say something like that about
a food I was about to eat, especially one that was such a selfless sacrifice of
love?!
As quick as the words were
leaving my mouth, I felt a wash of shame that lowered my voice, and stilled my
appetite. I remembered saying to someone who was about to eat her meal of oats,
that I didn’t like to eat oats because it reminded me of catarrh with lumps! And
several other thoughtless things I’ve innocently said without thinking. What right
had I to chastise my boy, when the apple obviously hadn’t fallen very far from
the tree?
I thoughtfully chewed, meditating
on the learning that my son had unwittingly reminded me of again that evening. ‘Remove the
log from your eye so that you can better see to remove the speck from another’
(Matthew 7:5), how often had I viewed my attitude as being okay, explaining my
actions via my intentions, but judging others solely on their actions and the
consequences? Perhaps I remained single because of the log in my eye that didn’t
permit me see that the standard I had set for a selection, was actually a bar
that I hadn’t surpassed and hence fenced me in?
Well I’m definitely going to be
on the lookout for ‘em logs; and if you’re a friend and you spot them, do be a
dear and point them out. Or you can come for a log chopping party and help
stack up logs for a huge bonfire of hypocritical and limiting habits!
Every day, In Every Way, Be the
Best of You!
Golden Lessons, via a Golden Child
D2AGE
