It has been a few days since I have blogged anything. Allow me to use the common flu as my excuse – if there is such a thing. Thank goodness it is over though (Touch wood!) I still have some leftovers (yes, I know, it’s a bad simile) but the result is that I am holding back on giving things too much effort, you know, like life, which is a grand philosophy actually – giving things your all. I am sure you will agree with me when I say that we have all been conditioned to give it our all during certain events, like sports, or exams or things competitive but this attitude seems to be less stressed upon when it comes to the rest of our lives. Thinking about that logically, it makes no sense. Isn’t the idea of living to make the most of life? Surely then for you to become the best you possibly can be, you have to give it your best in all aspects of your life. Right?
Of course the problem with this philosophy is that it is based upon a choice. That is, you have to decide if you want to be the best you can possibly be. Most people don’t because they have not thought it through properly. Of course once you have it is easy to realise that is exactly what God wants for you. Now before you all go and think my illness have made me lost the plot let me explain why this is on my mind.
I was sick. I felt miserable and irritable. Even lying down did not provide any comfort. Then there was a knock at my door. A friend had stopped by to say hello and I, being in the mood I was did not show the most hospitable side I had. Afterwards I knew I could have done better. A lot better and this has prompted me to make a more conscious effort to improve my behaviour even when feeling ill.
I have just been interrupted by a beggar – or so I thought at first. I am sitting at the airport cafeteria sipping coffee – yes, it is sweltering hot but it is a cool habit for writing – when this teenage girl leaned over from the opposite table and asked, “Excuse me but I am hungry. Buy me cake.”
I had a myriad thoughts run through my mind; why someone could disturb me while it was so obvious that I was deeply engrossed in my laptop; why cake?; wow, a beggar in Seychelles?; God is testing me; don’t be rude now, be nice; this could be a great opportunity for Jesus; talk to the girl, be nice. It quickly transpired that she did not quite understand me. She seemed particularly confused at why I did not want to buy her cake, which of course was not true. I was merely intrigued and trying to find out more about her before relenting to the cake part, something I was particularly interested in – why cake and not a healthy sandwich instead. She looked like she needed to be in school so I called one of the waitresses over to translate for me.
“She would just like some cake.” The waitress said.
“I know that part” I smiled more earnestly, “but I would like to know, how old she is, why she is not in school, where are her parents and so on?”
“Sir” the waitress replied before she lifted a finger and pointing it to her head continued, “She is not quite right upstairs…”
The penny dropped. I remembered too what I was writing about when she interrupted.
“Its fine. I will pay for her cake – she can go choose any cake she wants.”
The waitress had a quick word with the girl at which she responded with a smile before quickly adding, “coffee too!”
“She can have cake and a coffee too.” I nodded while my eyes met the girls’. I remembered her glances at my coffee earlier on, that there was something off about them. I could not place them at the time but it was as if they were from someone about to die from malnutrition. It disturbed me. Now they were sparkling with joy.
The girl jumped up and walked off to the counter.
“She is 25 years old sir…” said the waitress next to me before she too made her way back to the counter.
Later that afternoon, for some reason the flying was particularly sweet.
Wish you were her!
:)
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