Flexibility is the Key

The kitchen for the abbot and guests ought to be separate, so that guests--and monasteries are never without them--need not disturb the brothers when they present themselves at unpredictable hours. RB80.53.16 Flexibility can be a blessing in life. The ability to adapt to different circumstances and to roll with whatever happens without undue stress and anxiety can be a rare gift. It is a skill that is necessary to practice hospitality. Growing up, my younger sister would call me "Gumby" after the plasticine, animated character that was able to be stretched and bent in a multitude of ways and would still return to it's original shape--no matter what shapes it had been formed into earlier. She was referring not just to my physical flexibility but my emotional flexibility which allowed me to be open to surprises and to challenges. The word impossible did not seem to exist in my dictionary and I could easily be energized by seemingly daunting tasks. Actually, the more challenging the situation the better I seemed to handle it. St. Benedict is asking me today to have the same attitude with guests and those I encounter daily. I am invited to open myself to the challenges and different opportunities which are offer daily. Sr. Catherine, OSB