Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Bon' Appetite!

Sitting at dinner with my family yesterday evening, I watched as a woman walked into the restaurant with her son. She stood at the entrance, which was like a doorway from the sweltering heat into the cool air-conditioning, and she looked at the hostess puzzled. “Hello, I’m here meeting a party that’s already seated.”, she said. “Ok Mam, do you know where they are?” the hostess replied. “No, but it’s a rather larger party, (nervous giggle), I’m sure I’ll find them.” The hostess pointed her in the direction of the walkway, telling her to walk around the platform till she spotted them. So, the woman and her son began to walk around, slowly, looking confused as to which way to go. Each step was made with much caution, first, as to not draw attention to herself, and second, to try not to look as if she was searching at all. After a few seconds, she saw her party, of at least 15 people sitting across the room. All the sudden, her steps moved much faster, she straightened up her shirt, and put her hand on her son while pointing to them so he knew where to walk next. Laughing, she got to their table and I’m sure she began to make excuses for why she was so late to dinner.


Isn’t that how life works? As I watched intently this woman’s journey to find her friend, trying to ignore the fact that I was about to start chewing on the table to subside my hunger pains, I wondered about life. We’re all looking for something. We have a purpose, and all we want to do is find it. I saw a significance in this dinner story. Life, is like waiting to find your party at a restaurant. We arrive late, frazzled, wondering where to go next, trying not to look confused, but ready to sit down and eat. Walking into the restaurant, we’re freed from the heat that’s moving outside, as we feel the cold breeze. It’s the same way that we first decided that we even have a purpose. We decide to step out of the ordinary, and move inside to the cool air that’s comforting, while knowing we’re going somewhere that’s going to make a difference. We meet the hostess and tell her that she doesn’t need to put us at a table because we’re looking for our friends who’ve already been seated. Just the same way as we begin to see our purpose come about. We begin to realize that we have a goal, a journey if you will... something to push on till the end for. A reason to look around. Soon, we’re pointed in the right direction, but not told exactly where to go. We take small steps, so as to not pass them by, but still move very cautiously so we don’t draw too much attention to ourselves... (since this IS a personal journey after all.) We continue on, with our goal in mind, and realize it’s right in front of us. Now, seeing how close the end is, we put some pep in our step and move on much faster than before, no longer caring who’s looking, and meet our goal at the end of the pathway. Shaking it’s hand and explaining why it took us so long to get there, but still so happy to have finally met it. Life. It’s life. We give ourselves goals to meet, we set them before us to get us through. Once we meet up with them, we sit down, celebrate and rest for a little while, ecstatic to have made it. Not too much longer, we set another, to get us through the next stretch of life. 


However, there’s one section in that story that prolongs this happy ending. The part where the woman walks slowly, trying to not show people she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Why do we do that? Why do we care what people think of us? Everyone of us is trying to meet our next goal... so why do we let the bystanders in our life dictate how well “they” think we’re doing things? Sure, some guidance in life is necessary, which is what our “son” and “hostess” are for. Someone to point us in the right direction every once in a while, and someone to walk the road with us. Can we make a decision right now, to STOP caring what negative looks and cocky comments are being made about us on the way? We know who we are. We know what we’re doing. We have people who care about us walking the road, and people who are ready to throw a party once we make it to the end. Press onward towards your next goal, hold tightly to the people who are encouraging you, and for the ones who try to bring you down, walk faster, and flash them a cute smile. You know who you are, and you know how great that food is going to taste once you get there. Bon’ appetite!

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