I’m not a huge fan of Chinese take away – that I am certain has nothing to do with anything actually Chinese.  But on occasion I can’t avoid it.  The best part is always the fortune cookie. 

I skip eating the cookie – I can’t wait to break into it to get my fortune (as well as those lottery numbers and a new vocabulary word that I’ll never be able to pronounce correctly).  The fortune is full of possibilities.  One of the great things about fortune cookies – they only hold truths.  We can laugh about it, make jokes about it, but does anyone ever read their fortune and remain completely unaffected?

My last fortune cookie said, “to have a friend, be a friend”.  To assure that you have friends, you have to be a friend to others.  Holding on to your gifts rather than giving them away diminishes those gifts.  It also doesn’t allow you to be as open to the gifts that others share. 

It got me thinking about how sometimes we hoard our music.  We are so self critical and many people allow that self criticism to censor their performance – they won’t play for others.  They are focused on their lack of perfection rather than on their depth of accomplishment. 

Don’t get me wrong, it does take an effort to put yourself out there and share with others.  It does require that you prepare – yourself, your music.  You do have to swallow down the flipflops in your stomach. 

But it is so worth it – you get that high from getting out there, they get the beauty of the music, you both enjoy participating in being together – what’s not to like.

So when you are sitting at your harp telling yourself that you’re not good enough – ask the question – good enough for what?  Of course you’re good enough – you’re good enough to share your gifts with your friends.  And in return, they’ll share their gifts – of joy, laughter, good times – with you!