After living in Southeast Asia for a year, I’ve learned to use chopsticks with fluency. It wasn’t always easy – there were plenty of embarrassing snafus, fumbled attempts that sent restaurant patrons diving for cover, and more than a little noodle on the floor. But I learned a lot along the way, not only about Eastern dining etiquette, but also about life. Here are 8 life lessons I learned from using chopsticks:
Patience.
Our inclination is to rush these days, creating a false sense of urgency and speeding through life as if it was a race. It isn’t. Using chopsticks helped me realize life is a slow dance, and we’ll only ruin the tempo if we rush.
Good things are earned.
You’ll probably have to work hard to achieve anything with true value in your life, just like eating with chopsticks makes you earn (and therefore appreciate) the process of sustenance.
Only pick up one thing at a time.
We often try to do too much at once, especially in Western society where multitasking like a manic robot with 4 arms is considered a good thing. However, by eating with chopsticks I’ve learned the importance of undertaking only one task at a time and the power of full focus.
Don’t hold on too tight.
If our desire is attached to an object, outcome, or even a person, we squeeze too tight out of fear of loss. Instead, we should be most delicate and gentle with the things we want to hold on to.
Don’t worry about the outcome.
The grace is in the process, the art in the journey. That is where you’ll find what you’re looking for, not just by achieving the desired outcome.
There’s beauty in small acts.
A task as menial as bringing food to mouth can be sublime. The small acts in our daily lives - taking deep breaths, sweeping a floor, or greeting a neighbor – are mirrors that reflect the beauty we feel back on us.
Nourishment is sacred.
Eating is a celebration of life, of health, family, and the blessing of vitality. Besides breathing, it is the most important daily human function and the ritual of using chopsticks pays homage to that.
No matter how careful you are, sometimes you’ll spill on your shirt.
Life is not to be taken seriously. No matter how planned or cautious we are, there will be accidents, mishaps, and challenges. You’ll drop food on your shirt and make a big mess. Laugh at yourself, laugh some more, and then keep going.
-Norm :-)
Patience.
Our inclination is to rush these days, creating a false sense of urgency and speeding through life as if it was a race. It isn’t. Using chopsticks helped me realize life is a slow dance, and we’ll only ruin the tempo if we rush.
Good things are earned.
You’ll probably have to work hard to achieve anything with true value in your life, just like eating with chopsticks makes you earn (and therefore appreciate) the process of sustenance.
Only pick up one thing at a time.
We often try to do too much at once, especially in Western society where multitasking like a manic robot with 4 arms is considered a good thing. However, by eating with chopsticks I’ve learned the importance of undertaking only one task at a time and the power of full focus.
Don’t hold on too tight.
If our desire is attached to an object, outcome, or even a person, we squeeze too tight out of fear of loss. Instead, we should be most delicate and gentle with the things we want to hold on to.
Don’t worry about the outcome.
The grace is in the process, the art in the journey. That is where you’ll find what you’re looking for, not just by achieving the desired outcome.
There’s beauty in small acts.
A task as menial as bringing food to mouth can be sublime. The small acts in our daily lives - taking deep breaths, sweeping a floor, or greeting a neighbor – are mirrors that reflect the beauty we feel back on us.
Nourishment is sacred.
Eating is a celebration of life, of health, family, and the blessing of vitality. Besides breathing, it is the most important daily human function and the ritual of using chopsticks pays homage to that.
No matter how careful you are, sometimes you’ll spill on your shirt.
Life is not to be taken seriously. No matter how planned or cautious we are, there will be accidents, mishaps, and challenges. You’ll drop food on your shirt and make a big mess. Laugh at yourself, laugh some more, and then keep going.
-Norm :-)
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