Bonna Anne has been an enduring place to enjoy a shared meal together for the past five-plus years. With every visit, one experiences a welcoming smile, a twinkle in the eyes that embraces each with the warmth that comes with being part of an extended family. As the food arrived with two new dishes included, I found myself experiencing the joy of fresh Ethiopian food, wonderful laughter born of shared experiences, and the joy of looking towards the future with people you love. As I looked up, the art on the wall seemed to have recorded many of my emotions.
I left the meal with a lightness in my soul that comes from breaking bread with love. As I start today, the reflection I see in the art hanging on the wall next to our table reminds me of what is possible. It starts with the basics and builds with the heart and soul one brings to the table. The reminders I have left on my mind’s wall include the following.
Take time to “be” with others. Put the electronics away. Leave the angst of yesterday and the fears of tomorrow at the door. Open one’s heart and soul to be fully present. Enjoy the moment for all it offers. The invitation to break bread together should never be ignored. The pearls of Life are found in these moments.
Open the heart. Taking time is not a calculated event. It is not a process to go through. Life keeps reminding me that it is a state of being. Advice from yesterday still rings true, “Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down.” (Romans 12.15) It is in embracing the moment that one experiences life’s treasures.
Take risks, especially with others. Revealing one’s heart is risky business. Barbs may fly. Sarcasm may cut. It is also possible that great things can happen. It is in being vulnerable, and embracing others with unconditional respect, that one realises that s/he is also embraced, accepted, and loved.
Today, I will break bread and live.
