Chopsticks

I went to bed last night fighting off a cold and woke up today with no voice.  After a fantastic weekend of family and friends, I needed a day to regain my strength and get my health back.  There is always a lot of guilt for me in calling in sick because I feel like I am letting down my team.  But my body needs healing, and I am no good to anyone if I cannot even speak.  The only good thing that comes from being sick is a chance to catch up on the blog.

Last night, Gabby invited a lovely man over to play dominoes with us.  His name is Jonathan and he had a calming, sweet energy.  Jonathan shared a sweet tale of cooperation.  A man asks to see the difference between heaven and hell.  He is first taken deep into the forest to a bountiful table of food.  The people all sitting at the table only can use 5 foot chopsticks to feed themselves.  Of course, this is impossible for them to feed themselves and the man watches them waste food and create a horrible mess, and no one is able to eat.  This is hell.

He is then sent to a different part of the forest, where a the same lovely table of food and bounty sits.  At this table, the patrons also can only use the 5 foot chopsticks.  These people use the chopsticks not to feed themselves, but to feed each other.  The teamwork is peaceful, the table is in order, and no food is wasted.  This is heaven.

Cooperation and teamwork is such a tricky thing.  I have never been great with boundaries and often struggle with either not asking for help, or trying to help people so much it is overbearing or I get taken advantage of.  It is my goal for 2011 to bring the chopsticks to the table and feed others, but making sure I get fed as well.