The Story of The Rice Paddy

One day long ago, I was walking by a rice paddy farm and I noticed that there were no people working in the fields. I was hungry and looking for work and so I went to the farmhouse to ask if I could work in the fields for food and housing. The owner of the farm came out and shook my hand and said sure! I asked him what work he would have me do. He told me to go out and stand in the rice paddy each day caring for the rice until it was grown and could be harvested. Well that is not a hard job since it was already planted.

So each day I went out and stood in the rice paddy with the rice, making sure it was well and healthy. The farmowner provided me with lots of good food to eat and a wonderful bed to sleep in, no worries at all!

After a while I started getting wrinkly feet from constantly standing in the water with the rice. And I started getting a sunburn on my face from standing in the sun all day. And there really was nothing to do as all was fine. And I could not sit down because the water all around me was up to my knees. I didn't feel I was doing much good there and I decided to ask for a better job.

I went back to the farmowner and he came to the door and said, "Whats the matter?" I said, "Oh, the rice is fine but I am just standing there not doing anything and I wondered if you had another job that might need doing here." He said, "Well, we have to keep track of profits and loss but I have bookeepers and accountants who do that. We have to clean the harvested rice and package it for shipping when it is time but I have people who do that important work in our factory over there. We have to ship it to stores all over the world but I have a fleet of truck drivers to do that. What I need you to do is to watch over the rice, for without you, none of these people will have a job!"

So I went back and stood in the rice paddy. The farmowner even gave me a hat so I would not get sunburned anymore. And this is where I am today!

It is not a high powered position of wealth and fame. It is not a job where I can sit down and fall asleep either. It is a job that provides me with food and shelter and in my heart I know that this job, that seems boring and tedious and unimportant, is supporting a lot of other families and feeding many nations on earth. I stand in the rice paddy and tend the rice. You are welcome to join me!

I am a Shaman.

Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls Copyright 2008