Leslie Dulfo
A lot of times tables are laid flat surfaces either low-lying or a bit elevated? Considering a person like me who is five feet tall, then a typical table would limit myself to at least less than a half of my height when standing. If the table exceeds at least 2 feet and 6 inches then, by all means, I need a high chair. The circumstance keeps me wondering why tables are never height adjustable unlike modern chairs.
There are various types of tables – they might be office desks, dining tables, study tables, classroom desks, picnic tables and even outdoor tables. Even Koreans have these round tables which are normally elevated around 5 inches or less from the floor – the ones they call “soban”. Even breakfast in bed can be made through the lazy desk that can also be used for laptops while you do stuff on your bed. No wonder they call it a lazy desk, we totally get it!
There are also various shaped tables from rectangle to square to circle, oblong or elongated ones. Unlike chairs, they need to be more sturdy to weigh how much space or mass a specific thing must be put. If it is a study desk then it has to at least carry books. If it’s a computer table, it has to be sturdy to carry a desktop computer.
This brings me to my sister’s table which she bought online, it didn’t have any support in the middle part for the book drawer storage so the flat surface was slowly dented as books were put inside the drawers. We are to note that the foundation or legs of the table or drawer must be enough to carry the table or the flat surface and the load purposely set for it. It must not only be aesthetically fine but accurately custom-built for what it is going to carry.
We are like those tables – square, rectangle, circle, oblong or elongated who are diversified and different. Like tables we may be built of strong wood or metal like steel or even glass. We may be accustomed to being customized, meaning we have our own unique ways. We are all different yet we all are also the same in the sense that everyone is different somehow.
In all these, tables take up specific space – it weighs, has mass, and has length and width. It may or may not have an area or circumference. In the same way – we take up space in this whole vast universe. We may even be squared or oblong in some form but we do take up space. Taking up space means we are made for a significant purpose. Maybe even alien forms do have a purpose in the vast lightyears away? Beats me!
We are all designed to carry some weight – perhaps on our shoulders or backs or maybe chance gives us some weight according to our choices. Whatever we believe in, we are like tables destined to carry weight. Even our heads and emotions carry some weight when we think and most especially when we overthink! Do you feel a case of the term heavy-head or heavy-heart sometimes?
The world goes on existing and the way to live is to be able to take up space and carry some weight too. It is the rule of the thumb or perhaps the world or even the galaxies. After all the earth, do carry us somehow.
This is the story of our lives – a continuum. It is a journey to be lived and experienced like tables tried and tested. Like my sister’s table that was damaged, things can either be repaired or not. However, we humans are repairable. How and why? We are repairable despite the brokenness or damage that toils upon us.
We go through things to realize how strong we are and reflect that there is a sense in all things – just like a table purposely custom-built. Like tables, we are made to stand despite the failures in order to remember that we are not really broken at all (well, maybe sometimes broken) but that we matter and have a significant purpose – always!