Last night at a Relief Society dinner, there was a cookie swap. We were supposed to bring two plates of cookies, six on each plate. We were going to swap our cookies for two different plates from the other ladies. I brought my pretzel, Rolo thingies (and some extra for snacking)- and I traded for some beautiful Macadamia nut cookies and some gorgeous Christmassy caramel/chocolate coated pretzel sticks (can you see a theme?)
We traded our cookies and we were told to sit back down with our treasures. Then we were told that there were names of sisters on a tree at the front of the room who are inactive and haven't been to church in a while. Our lovely relief society president (she really is well-meaning) guilted us into making us take our lovely new cookies to these sisters.
So not only did I feel tricked into bringing cookies, but I feel guilty for wanting to eat the cookies I was promised because she wanted us to know how it feels to "give a precious gift you weren't expecting to give."
The idea doesn't bug me. The tricking and guilt bug me. I really feel that if all of the Relief Society sisters were asked to bring cookies for the inactive sisters, we would have exceeded expectations. We would have probably brought more cookies, better cookies and we wouldn't have felt guilty. We would have volunteered to visit these sisters and give them our lovely gifts. But instead, we were "taught a lesson." I don't think that's what Jesus would do!
Auurrgghh! Why does this bug me so bad?? I should be a sweet daughter of God and just give the darn cookies to the people. It's not like I need more cookies . . . I just have a hard time giving in to guilt.
Just so you know - I was evil and ate the pretty pretzels. And they were good! I gave away the Macadamia yummies to a friend who wasn't able to make it to the dinner because she was barfing.
My guilt has been assuaged.
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2 comments:
solidarity sister!! i'm totally anti doing stuff like this only during christmas..
and to top it off i get militant when i feel someone elses guilt trip.. i've got quite enough of my own guilt..
ok i'm ranting on YOUR blog.. sorry
luv ya
Ky
guilt is good for you. everything has to have an opposite, right? so if you never felt guilty you could never feel guiltless. so you thank that RS president for your guilt! i hate most cookies, so i wouldn't have minded it one bit - i would have thought "oh thank heavens i don't have to take these stupid cookies home."
i could write a book about annoying cultural practices in the church. like how all conference speakers seem to have gone to the same speech coach. i call it "conference modulation" and it drives me bonkers.
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