I bought this dining table at least 10 years ago now. I call it the Giving Table. It was built by a friend and comes with a story. A story of coming full circle.

The table was designed by an architect and built for an office in New York City. It is hand crafted by a friend of mine who has an incredible gift for working with wood. When my friend saw the initial design, he recommended changes to prevent stress on the joints and cracking, but the client wanted what he wanted. The table was built to the architects specifications. Sometime later, my friend got a call to redesign and build a second table because the first had some distressing; the whole process coming full circle.

What is it that causes us to be so attached to our beliefs and ideas that we get in our own way? I’m sure you know what I mean. We all do this. We’ve fixed expectations and beliefs about who we think we should be and how life should happen. These expectations about the way we want things to be often prevents us from experiencing something even better. Truth is, life happens for us, always and in all ways. We just think we know better.

“The burden is never life. It’s what you’re thinking and believing about it.” Byron Katie

We are attached to many things in our day-to-day lives. For example, someone acts differently than we think they should, and we judge. We fall short of some self-imposed goal and we see ourselves as a failure. A loved one forgets to phone us back and we’re spinning a painful story about how we don’t matter. Rather than accept this as the way it is, we suffer in our attempts to control, in our anger, resentment, judgement, and the like. We create everything in our experience, including our own discord. However, there is an easier way.

“Nothing you believe is true. To know this is freedom.” Byron Katie

When we step outside our Box of BS (belief systems) and detach from our stories, we find true freedom and peace in our lives. Imagine taking an entire day and just allowing life to happen, welcoming it in all it’s magic and messiness. Because letting go means to live with expectancy that everything is here for our good and without expectation about how it should happen.

It seems our architect was just a bit attached to his design. Standing fixed in what we want, we are actually resisting the good that life has for us. Think about that for a moment. What good are you resisting in your attachment?  Let’s suppose the architect’s story is one of superiority; that he knows better than the artist. He may have saved himself a lot of time and money had he been willing to let that idea go. As a result, he found himself coming full circle. Of course, this is just another story…right?

So, why the Giving Table?

The giving table is a special place where the life of the trees selected lives on in powerful and sacred energy. A place where friendships are made and deepened, where family, friends, and even I alone can sit in sacred circle. This table gives way for the ease and flow of conversation in joy and harmony.  There are some stress cracks which only add to her beauty…they feel like the places she has relaxed into her fullness.

I’m grateful for my friend, the artist who brought this masterpiece to life, the many intimate gatherings held around it’s warmth and beauty, and the countless meals served upon it. It is indeed a table of giving and I am honored to be her caretaker. My gratitude extends to the architect as well because without him I’d never have laid eyes on this beautiful gift. Now that’s coming full circle.

From my heart to yours,

Ready to let go and let life flow? Start here…3 Secrets to a Kickass Life!