01 March 2020

What Does It Matter? ~ Opening Thoughts


Greetings Dear Reader,

Recently I tried a new restaurant that was supposed to offer fresh seafood.  The menu was promising and the staff friendly.  Being new in a small community, it was very busy.  I ordered the shrimp and grits.

As I said, they were busy.  It took about thirty minutes for our meal to arrive.  The table next to us had ordered just before us.  Since we shared a server, it is likely that our orders were submitted to the kitchen simultaneously.  As we waited, I enjoyed conversation with my dinner guests.  The couple at the next table grew increasingly irritable. 

In the half-hour it took for our meals to arrive, I discovered new things about my friends.  The couple at the other table were almost fuming and barked at the server when she delivered their food.  When she brought our plates, I reassured her that we were not upset and that we understood that she did not control prep time for a meal.

Her smile was a great reward.  I noticed that she returned to our table every time she visited one where her customers were not as kind.  In truth, the food was not very good.  All the right components were there but it was clear that no one had taught them how to assemble proper shrimp and grits.  My guests both enjoyed their meals.

When we were ready to leave, our server noticed that despite the slow service, I had left a generous tip.  I explained that the time waiting was worth it due to the time talking with my friends.  She insisted that she did not deserve a tip that large (it was an honest 20%).  I explained that it was not her fault that the kitchen was slow.  I refused to make her pay for their errors. 

Even though it was accurate, I said that to make her feel better.  In truth, I was certain that it mattered more to show her love and grace and be an example of that for my younger friends.  As I seek to navigate the path of being lovingly unoffendable, the balance keeps asking a question.

Does whatever is irritating me really matter?  I need to firmly filter all irritants through this.  Perhaps I can become agile at deflecting the things that do not matter instantly.  It begins by asking if what I am bothered about matters more than being loving.  This should prove an interesting conversation as we journey together Dear Reader.  Perhaps we can discover areas of irritation that can be discarded completely.   As always, I treasure your thoughts and questions.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
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