A couple weeks ago, I sat in a popular restaurant called Joe's Crab Shack with a friend visiting from out of town. We ordered a steamer pot full of crab legs, potatoes, and corn. It was an amazing feast but I must say, there was considerable work involved. Crab legs demand work in order to fully enjoy them. We both sat there with silly bibs on digging away at our food, cracking and re-cracking snow crab legs. It had been years since I had eaten crab and I had forgotten the work involved. When we finished the meal , the out-of-towner wiped his hands down his bib and proclaimed, "Well, the juice was worth the squeeze." I had never heard it before and I actually did a double take and asked for a repeat, then I laughed out loud. The juice was worth the squeeze.

Yes, we had worked hard for only a little bit of crab meat, but I think it made the meat even sweeter, thus worth the effort. We finished our meal and as we left, I considered whether or not I could aptly apply this new favorite phrase to other parts of my life. I, sometimes, feel as if I am running in circles, as if my exertion is overlooked or forgotten with little result to show for my numerous endeavors.

The work we do, the attempts we make, sometimes go unnoticed, even while we continually move forward to achieve desired outcomes; whatever those outcomes might be. Running on ice or spinning wheels, unless we actually grip the road and produce, efforts are for naught. I guess the fear is that we will tire before we finally finish the squeeze.

The little fork that came with the crab leg cracker seemed inefficient, at first. What could it possibly achieve against the formidable snow crab leg? But when nothing else worked to evoke the exposed but trapped, soft white meat, the little fork made light work of it, having been designed for that specific task. I guess it comes down to fully understanding the cause, effect, and appreciation of work.

Is your result worth the exertion? It's an important question, and yet not asked often enough. Perhaps it could be re-worded for increased comprehension. Are your efforts considerable enough and are they producing the best juice? When you have an answer in the positive, then you can celebrate the squeeze.

©by rayannethorn