Friday, December 6, 2013

the secret of the coconut




Ketut was standing over the sink washing something when I came into my domain, the kitchen. I wondered what he was doing there early in the morning. But as I got closer I saw he was washing some fresh chunks of fish. That was a nice surprise…he had been to the market and saw the nice tuna the fishermen had brought and decided to buy me some to make for my lunch. I was so happy since he knows about fish and how to pick the best ones. He suggested I make the fish patties that I like with the coconut. (my gefilte fish version) . when I told him I didn't have any fresh coconut he suggested he would climb the tree outside and bring me some too. I was especially pleased with his offer since I am never sure I am getting a fresh piece at the market, since I don't have much experience with fresh coconut.
A few minutes later he returned with a young coconut and poured me the delicious coconut water and then skillfully removed the inner shell. He handed me the grapefruit sized hollow  ball of coconut to grate. I was happy, but also knew I had to be cautious, since the grater is so sharp and I had already scraped my finger on it a few days ago. But loving the fish and coconut combination, I was willing to try again, carefully.
While I was busy grating it at a fast pace, ketut suddenly came into the kitchen straight from the shower with only a towel wrapped around his waist. He had heard me grating the coconut and was concerned that I know how to do it properly, and I guess the swift sound he heard lit a red light for him so he didn't want to waste any time to get dressed first. He smiled, seeing that, yes, I had placed the grater over the big tray like the Balinese do. But he saw I was struggling with a long straggly piece of coconut that was what was left from the first hunk I grated. Not one to want to throw it out or scrape my finger again trying to use as much of it as I could, I asked him how they do it.
"The secret is the triangle." Then he cut the rest of the coconut into large triangles. As he lifted one to the grater he continued. "one must not rush and one must not push". He proceeded to gently but firmly hold the triangle piece in his hand and at a slower rhythm and more relaxed pace and without so much effort, effortlessly grated the coconut. I laughed. So simple. So true. "if you push, it is more difficult, and if you rush, the coconut becomes slippery. And now, when you worry, that is when you turn the triangle piece in your hand and continue to grate the other angle of it, and when you begin to worry again that you might scrape your finger, that is when you again change the triangle and grate the other side." And that is how he continued, all the time keeping the coconut piece in his hand in the shape of a triangle, until it was the size of a fingernail. "and when this is all that is left, you stop, and eat it!"
I laughed and laughed the whole time. The secret of the coconut…." Don't rush, don't push, and when you begin to worry, change direction". I told him that that is great advice for life, not only for grating coconut! That going at a slower more peaceful pace, and being relaxed and allowing the coconut to "be grated" instead of "me grating the coconut", and that whenever I begin to worry I am going to harm myself if I continue doing what I am doing, I just have to change direction….and keep the perfect triangle always in balance and give myself a treat and eat what is too small to be of use.  When I looked at the coconut he had grated, it was smiling at me!  I guess the coconut likes it too when you know its' secret and everything is just in harmony….and no scraped fingers….

Not to rush, not to push and when you worry, change direction

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