Receiving Isn't Always A Walk In The Park

Here’s a nice story from an author and artist I enjoy very much, Sark, in her book, “Eat Mangoes Naked,” where she discovers something about receiving:

I was on my book tour and in Washington D.C. to do the radio show, NPR. My limousine driver was named Muhammed, and he had heard my interview on the radio and said he'd felt very moved by what I’d said. Muhammed then declared,

“You are very gifted and I really wish to serve you today.”

I explained that he was serving me by driving and asked him to take me to a park. I got my tennis shoes out of the trunk, and Muhammed ran over and said,

“Please allow me to tie your tennis shoes.”

He dropped to his knees before I could even answer. As he tied my shoes, tears came to my eyes as I remembered that the last person to tie them had been my dad.

I am embarrassed to admit that I then noticed that he wasn't tying them very well! They were loose, and the shoelaces were too long. I suddenly realized that I felt extremely uncomfortable at receiving his help, and had to find fault with it in some way.

So I practiced receiving by going on my walk without adjusting the laces, and smiling as they flopped around.

Sark’s website is at PlanetSark.com.

Eat Mangoes Naked: Finding Pleasure Everywhere (and dancing with the Pits) Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper: Gifting the World with Your Words and Stories, and Creating the Time and Energy to Actually Do It Transformation Soup: Healing for the Splendidly Imperfect

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