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How my Ash Wednesday went.
On Wednesday afternoon a kind person explained Spoon Theory to me. The spoon is a metaphor for the mental - physical - spiritual energy each of us has in a day to devote to our daily tasks. Imagine each of us is allotted a certain number of spoons for the day. Some days, it can take a person, say, 5 spoons to just get out of bed; other days it takes that person zero spoons. For some people, calling their Senator uses hardly any spoons; for me it’s a high spoon cost. It always makes me nervous.
And then the kind person showed me what it says on her wall: “It is okay to run out of spoons.” Given the frenetic pace I have been on, for political activity, I needed to hear this. And it was refreshing to have Kind Person listen to me.
That blessed conversation ended. I began to feel some nasty heartburn, something I hadn’t felt in a long, long time. I realized that I had forgotten to take my heartburn medicine for three straight days, because I was distracted by the decline and fall of Western civilization. Heartburn uses up some spoons, for sure.
That evening we set out for dinner and Ash Wednesday worship – my Jewish husband and I. I wore the button (pin) that I have decided to wear everywhere. It says, “No Kings” (see photo above).
We sat at a round table at a gathering of three local churches, eating delicious homemade soup. Small talk with strangers is not my strong suit, but it is something society needs to help us get along. At first we discussed the various soups - a safe and pleasant topic. Then one person at our table – from a different church than mine – told us about his real estate endeavors - houses he has refurbished and rents out. Excellent. He has contributed to the common good through his business.
Landlord Guy then went on to complain about how the county executive raised the real estate tax by 36%. “But no, she wouldn’t cut jobs or cut county spending. Instead my renters have to pay 36% more.” I said nothing. I don’t know this man at all, so I felt it was pointless to start an argument about taxes. Someone else at the table said, Did you hear that the USAID money has been restored? Landlord Guy responded, “I bet Chelsea Clinton is real glad about that! All that money from USAID goes straight to the Clintons!” I could not listen any more. I got up quickly and left the table without saying a word.
I suddenly had no spoons left. I went to the sanctuary.
Shortly after I left the table, the worship service started. As I was in line to receive the imposition of ashes, the woman behind me tapped my shoulder and whispered to me, “I like your pin.” My “No Kings” pin. I was grateful and thanked her. This woman restored to me a spiritual spoon.
No kings but Jesus.
1 comment:
I never heard the spoon theory before, but I like it. It's very much like the cup concept, fill a cup/drain a cup, right? Anyway, I am happy for the woman who gave you a spoon. And I think you're wise to walk away when you have no spoons left to use.
And I cannot call my reps because I hate being on the phone, so I send daily emails. I have investigated and learned they count the same, and an email is much more convenient and less stressful for me to send. And one of my state reps has responded to me with personal phone calls to discuss issues I've raised via email, which convinces me to keep going.
I also like your pin a lot.
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