Relax

The following Christmas-story fits in here aswell: There was something that really bothered the little angel Gwendolin. She wanted to make a special present for mankind, but she didn’t know how. Although her plan for this year was an important one! She had realized quite a while ago that the human race totally missed the most important thing about Christmas. This festival actually isn’t about hurrying from shop to shop, trying to get your presents as soon as possible, but about relaxing and taking your time to reconsider things as she knew. One day she even told a young man about her worries,but he just answered:”No idea! To be honest I don’t have the time to think about that! There are more important things to do!” Shocked the little angel now realized that something had to be done about that. As she sat on the cloud her little cottage was built on, she saw a tiny spot heading towards her. She knew who it was: Her best friend Arnulf. Quickly she ran into her house to prepare tea, cookies and a candle on a table to give him a warm welcome. As she was done when he reached the house, she invited him to enter. Sitting at the table, enjoying this meal together, she told him about her discovery concerning human nature. “To be honest” Arnulf had to admit “I’m not really different from them! I actually only came to bring you my present, but when I saw how neat you’ve prepared everything for me and as you gave me this warm welcome, I realized that Christmas is more than just giving presents to the ones you like, but it’s also about having time for your family, your friends and for yourself too. Maybe I helped you a little by telling you this, but I really can’t tell you how to solve those peoples’ problem. Now I really have to go! Bye!” They gave each other a quick hug and then the angel flew away, leaving back his friend…who now had a brilliant idea. She quickly took candles, cookies and tea bags to put them in small sacks and she didn’t finish until there were enough sacks for everyone. To each sack she also added a letter containing the following message:”These things are meant to show you the basis of a REAL Christmas. Enjoy these things and as you do, you shall be happy about what God gave you on Christmas!”

We interpreted the following story in a German lesson years ago: There was a tourist who met a poor fisherman on a journey and as he saw this man relaxing in his boat he asked him, why he didn’t want to go and catch some fish. “Well, I already did today!” was the answer. The tourist told him to go out again. With more fish he of course would get more money. Then one day he would be rich enough to have his own fishing vessels and he would become even richer. “And then” the tourist finished his story “you would be a rich man, having enough time to relax every day!” The fisherman looked puzzled as he refused this reposal saying:”Well, but that’s what I already do every single day out here!”

In Germany there’s a book called “Sei gut zu dir/ Wir brauchen dich” (“Be good to you/ We need you”)
I think the title says it all: You shouldn’t only care for others or for your personal success, (which in some cases is the same if parents for example work very hard to gain more and more money to make “a better life” possible for their children) but also for yourself. Take your time to relax alone, with your family or with your friends! After that you’ll feel better and you may be fitter to do your work. In fine you’ll be a better worker.

Just relax! Take it easy! Try to think of all the aspects you like about your work. :)

I’m glad you liked it! :)