Middle school. Church youth retreat. Directions: Give your name and ONE word that best describes you. ONE WORD??! How can I be explained in one word? How can all of my personality, thoughts, beliefs, experiences, actions, and appearance all fit into ONE word?! I look to a friend for help. "How would you describe me?!" I ask frantically as my turn draws closer to announce the single, all-inclusive word that BEST describes me. "Hmmm. Rachel. Rachel is....practical."
My name is Rachel and I am Practical.
I'm not even sure that I really knew what the word meant at that time. I probably looked it up when I got home. I needed to find out what label I'd unknowingly slapped on myself! Since then, the word hasn't stopped showing up. I've used it with pride as I list my positive characteristics. "I'm hardworking, responsible, helpful, caring, and practical." I've used it to explain my a-typical gift requests, "I'm too practical for flowers. I'd rather you get me a new pair of socks." Most commonly, I've used it as an excuse to save time and money by getting out doing the extra, unnecessary things. This has been where I've been using the word recently. "No, I'm not going to wear a traditional wedding dress. I'm too practical to spend so much on a dress I'll only wear once."
Months ago my professor said something that caught my attention. He said that often times in a relationship a given action can mean two different things to the people involved. His example was a man giving flowers to the one he loves. He meant to say "Hey. I care about you. I think about you when you're not around and I wanted to give you something as beautiful as you." She receives it as "Buying flowers is easier than washing the dishes. I care about you enough to spend $20... but not enough to help out around the house." My initial reaction was disappointment. Why can't she see his intent and appreciate the gesture? Then I realized I.Am.That.Girl. And I chalk it up to practicality.
Can you be too practical? Practical to a fault? Would it really make that much of a difference if the $20 were spent on dinner out instead of flowers that will die? Or would I prefer to make my own dinner and use the $20 to buy new socks? Perhaps I could survive another year on thin, elastic-less socks and use that money to put towards that textbook I have to buy. Actually. I could probably share the textbook with someone else and use the $20 to put gas in my car. WHERE DOES THIS CYCLE END?! It won't. You can't get down to the most practical thing.
I think this could be part of my aversion to spending money. There will always be something better to spend my money on--someone else who needs it more, something else that will be more useful, another deal that gets me more for my dollar. The problem is that on the outside, being practical seems like somewhat of a virtue. But it can be carried too far. Sometimes being extravagant is necessary. Even I get tired of the boring, practical gifts. I have to remind myself that I'd prefer the socks to the flowers. They're more useful even if they are less exciting. They make sense. But once in a while it is essential to allow people to be unpractical.
Mary wasn't being practical when she dumped out a year's savings on Jesus' feet. I would have been the first pharisee to stand up and groan at the wasted money that could have been used to feed the poor! build a bigger church! fund a missions project! Anything but dumped on FEET! Stinky, icky feet. Tomorrow they won't even smell good anymore. Yes, He's God but what does he need oiled feet for?? That doesn't do anybody any good. But apparently I'm quite wrong in this. Apparently being extravagant can be glorious.
My name is Rachel and I am Practical.
I'm not even sure that I really knew what the word meant at that time. I probably looked it up when I got home. I needed to find out what label I'd unknowingly slapped on myself! Since then, the word hasn't stopped showing up. I've used it with pride as I list my positive characteristics. "I'm hardworking, responsible, helpful, caring, and practical." I've used it to explain my a-typical gift requests, "I'm too practical for flowers. I'd rather you get me a new pair of socks." Most commonly, I've used it as an excuse to save time and money by getting out doing the extra, unnecessary things. This has been where I've been using the word recently. "No, I'm not going to wear a traditional wedding dress. I'm too practical to spend so much on a dress I'll only wear once."
Months ago my professor said something that caught my attention. He said that often times in a relationship a given action can mean two different things to the people involved. His example was a man giving flowers to the one he loves. He meant to say "Hey. I care about you. I think about you when you're not around and I wanted to give you something as beautiful as you." She receives it as "Buying flowers is easier than washing the dishes. I care about you enough to spend $20... but not enough to help out around the house." My initial reaction was disappointment. Why can't she see his intent and appreciate the gesture? Then I realized I.Am.That.Girl. And I chalk it up to practicality.
Can you be too practical? Practical to a fault? Would it really make that much of a difference if the $20 were spent on dinner out instead of flowers that will die? Or would I prefer to make my own dinner and use the $20 to buy new socks? Perhaps I could survive another year on thin, elastic-less socks and use that money to put towards that textbook I have to buy. Actually. I could probably share the textbook with someone else and use the $20 to put gas in my car. WHERE DOES THIS CYCLE END?! It won't. You can't get down to the most practical thing.
I think this could be part of my aversion to spending money. There will always be something better to spend my money on--someone else who needs it more, something else that will be more useful, another deal that gets me more for my dollar. The problem is that on the outside, being practical seems like somewhat of a virtue. But it can be carried too far. Sometimes being extravagant is necessary. Even I get tired of the boring, practical gifts. I have to remind myself that I'd prefer the socks to the flowers. They're more useful even if they are less exciting. They make sense. But once in a while it is essential to allow people to be unpractical.
Mary wasn't being practical when she dumped out a year's savings on Jesus' feet. I would have been the first pharisee to stand up and groan at the wasted money that could have been used to feed the poor! build a bigger church! fund a missions project! Anything but dumped on FEET! Stinky, icky feet. Tomorrow they won't even smell good anymore. Yes, He's God but what does he need oiled feet for?? That doesn't do anybody any good. But apparently I'm quite wrong in this. Apparently being extravagant can be glorious.
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