The path to work narrows just at the edge of the apartment's property to a skinny stretch between a man-made hill of dirt and weeds at the back of the firehouse and a fence around several satellite dishes. What I especially love about this section is that it is too difficult to mow, and the weeds and wildflowers grow with abandon. The sweet fragrance of honeysuckle assaults your senses only when you get right to the edge of the place. Queen Anne's lace, daisys, purple clover, Indian paintbrush and tall purple thistles intermingle with wild strawberries and thorny blackberry canes.
Just on the other side of this dirt path lies a paved sideroad not traveled by cars, a favorite place for police to monitor traffic flying by on Union Street. The road deadends in a little housing development we use as a shortcut to get to campus. It prevents us from having to walk on the side of roads where the traffic is heavy and unpredictable. Trees line the sides of the lanes providing welcome shade from the sun's afternoon blaze. Houses are small, embroidered with manicured lawns and decorated with tasteful wreaths, shutters, and awnings. It is the perfect picture of peace.
Today as I walked through my wild sanctuary, I inhaled deeply, appreciating anew the heady honeysuckle. Here and there a ripe blackberry winked at me, tantalizingly inviting me to pick and imbibe the sweet juice. I know better than to try. I can no longer eat anything with seeds. They just don't move through my system. Tempting as it was, I walked on by, proud of my will power, but not lingering to provide opportunity to fall into sin.
My first meeting of the day, my staff surprised me with a fresh piece of raspberry pie! Oh, it looked so delicious, shimmering there on the paper plate, peeking shyly out from its flaky crust. I knew if I ate it I would pay the price in pain and agony in short order. Yet I didn't wish to offend the eager faces around the conference table. What to do?
I have not told my staff about my health issues, preferring for a change to not be a constant a source of concern. So I delayed saying anything until the meeting was concluded. They munched away happily while I talked, laying out some strategies for the impending move to the new building. Good reason not to eat if you are talking. After a bit, we became engrossed in our plotting, the meeting running a tad long.
Finally I concluded our business and we stood, pushing back our chairs. I hesitated for a moment, looking longingly at the luscious piece of pie. Then I thanked them sincerely for thinking of me, but gently mentioned that I couldn't eat it because I can't have anything with seeds in it. They understood right away and began listing other foods they thought might be off limits for me - and were surprisingly accurate!
The culmination of our conversation was that they would be careful in planning eating and social activities to make sure there would be something I could handle on the menu. I was deeply touched by their concern and eagerness to help. And without knowing the whys. They just accepted it.
Not bad for a day's work. Resisted temptation twice, and gained support in setting up future scenarios. Not bad. Not bad at all.
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