Once upon a time a girl wandered into the woods and came upon a house. She knocked and when there was no answer, she went in anyhow. She was hungry and fortunately for her, she found three bowls of porridge and three spoons. The porridge in the first bowl was too hot, so she moved on to the next bowl. The porridge in the second bowl was too cold, so she moved on to the third bowl. The porridge in the third bowl was just the right temperature, but it was too salty. There was no fourth bowl.
Disappointed, she wondered what to do. “I’m really hungry,” she thought, “so I could eat this anyhow. But why eat it if it doesn’t taste good? That won’t be very satisfying. Okay, so how can I make it taste right? Hmm, I don’t see a microwave to heat up that other bowl. Oh, maybe there’s some milk in the fridge that I could use to cool down the first porridge I tasted.”
As the girl considered various options, she remembered hearing a story about a girl in a similar situation. That girl found a bowl of porridge that was just right, a chair that was just right and a bed that was just right.
“What does just right mean to me right now?” the girl asked herself. She realized that she wasn’t really in the mood for porridge, so she washed the spoons and headed home.
On her way home, she ran into a friend. “Weren’t you being a bit picky?” her friend asked upon hearing about the salty porridge.
“That’s one way to look at it,” the girl said. “I figured why settle for salty porridge – even if it was quick and easy – when, with a little effort, I could eat something I really like.”
“But it’s only porridge,” her friend said.
“I know,” said the girl. “And if I want to sleep on a bed that feels just right, would you says ‘It’s only a bed?’” Before her friend could answer, the girl continued on her way with a little skip.
When she got home, the girl headed straight into the kitchen. In the fridge she found some romaine lettuce, a pear, toasted walnuts, and Parmesan cheese and made a salad in her favorite bowl. “Wow, this is more than just right,” the girl said aloud. “This is delicious, nourishing and beautiful. It’s a simple meal and so deeply satisfying.”
As she ate her salad, savoring each bite, she looked around her kitchen and asked herself, “Is my kitchen knife just right? My bowl? My tea kettle?” As she thought about each item and her choices, she realized that each item presented an opportunity to treat herself well, to surround herself with things that made her feel good about herself, to add beauty to the ordinary moments.
And the girl is well on her way to living happily ever after.
My invitation to you: What do you see when you look around your kitchen and home? Do these feel just right to you? What’s one small change you could make so that you would feel more nourished and cared for? I’d love to hear about it.
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