Ever get good news . . . that's laced with something bad?

I got a blog award. I was so excited. Me? An award--WOW!  

That's how I felt UNTIL I went to the lady's blog and discovered why she gave me the award.

She'd made a list of fifteen people who'd won. Next to each name she wrote why she'd chosen them. Well, I was number eleven, so I read all the names before mine. The lady wrote some pretty amazing things about everyone.  Her comments made me shine inside since I like it when people are sweet to each other.

Blog #1 made her smile all day, like the smile would never go away (I liked that--it was super nice)

#2 was about an amazingly strong woman, who can stand in adversity

#3 was about a father who gleams as an example of how true men should be.

As I read further down this list, I thought, Heck yeah! This is the kind of list I want my blog on.

Each comment got better and better.  These people were super human.  One woman could practically fly (she was that much of an angel.)  Another lady could make anything OUT OF NOTHING.

By that time I was pretty damn excited to see what it would say next to my name.  Then I read it and had to laugh out loud.  It's amazing what different people pull from things.  As I read the comment it reminded me of an image I used to dream about when I was a teenager.

There were a bunch of old men sitting around a table.  It almost seemed like water surrounded them because their long white beards and eyebrows pulsed as if in a strange oceanic current. 



They were wise beyond time and sat passing around a large book.  The binding was brown with corrosion, so heavy, it slide along the table, instead of being picked up, as the worldly men shared it with one another.  Each time one of them opened the book, its pages swayed in a cracked and faded manner.  It didn't seem completely wet, or ruined by anything except skewed views. 

So, that book was beyond time, like the bearded guys who were only allowed to look at one page each.  They would study their page as much as they wanted, and after delving into their sections, they'd discover new things about themselves rather than the book itself.  Eventually, each of those philosophers thought they had an idea of what the story was about, but none discovered the entirety of it.

Well, that's what happened with my blog.  I don't think "the award giver" saw the full story.  Because next to my name, in cute little type-print it said:

11) EC Writes because she's on a mission to embarrass herself all year through her blogs!   

That was pretty funny.  I could have peed my pants.  I was listed among the stars of men, and yet I felt embarrassed again.  But it is funny what different people pull from things.  It hit me; we're all like those bearded philosophers who only have a section of the story. 

I always felt bad for those guys because no matter how much they studied or read, they never understood the point of the book.  After all, it wasn't what was written in the pages, about battles, forgiveness, courage and love.  The most important thing about that book was what it showed people about themselves.

So, anyway, I'm glad I got an award, but mostly I'm happy I remembered those old philosophers.  After all, when I grew up, I totally forgot about them and their self-proclaimed wisdom.