:: Edgeliving: Master Jim and slave marsha ::

:: Thursday, May 15, 2003 ::

It's all about socks.

slave marsha’s blog entry about her search for my preferred sock-type is a very enlightening piece on service. When service is discussed, the reference often is to the slave’s need to serve and the master’s need to be served. I firmly believe that service is an essential part of a Master/slave relationship and that it is incumbent upon masters to provide service opportunities for their slaves. While identifying service opportunities or service tasks for the slave is not difficult, identifying the form that service should take to enhance and maintain a Master/slave relationship is more difficult.

Prior to beginning my Master/slave journey, I was a very self-sufficient person. I took care of myself and had no problem doing the day-to-day tasks that we all must do. While I did not reject the idea of having service provided to me, I also saw no need to be waited on. I have not really changed and still do many tasks myself. The idea that owning a slave frees one from all task-oriented activity is simply false. For example, I cook because I like to cook, I take out the garbage if the trashcan is full and slave marsha is involved elsewhere because I do not like a messy house, I go for coffee and a paper in the morning because I like to get out of the house early. The reality of service is that there are only 24 hours in a day, there is only so much a slave can do, and masters do many things for themselves. Having a slave means that I have a person who obeys my directives and improves the efficiency of my household and it is my choice as to how that is accomplished..

So what does service look like in my Master/slave relationship? I have a very broad view of what constitutes service and I believe that a master should take advantages of the strengths of his or her slave when determining what service will be provided. slave marsha works outside my home in a very demanding profession. I define her work as service to me and, in fact, she begins each workday with the following affirmation:

“Everything i do today at work is service to You and i thank You, Sir.”

Since her research, organization, and communication skills are excellent, much of her service revolves around managing my household and calendar. I have her handle most of my correspondence, prepare outlines of my M/s presentations, plan all aspects of my travel, and coordinate my calendar. she also is a very intelligent, well-educated, and well-read person who often serves as my traveling companion. slave marsha definitely does many of the day-to-day errand and cleaning activities necessary to run a household; however, I also employ a cleaning service to clean my home and a yard service to cut my grass, not because slave marsha cannot do these things, but because I have her doing other tasks that are a higher priority to me and that I cannot find others to do. The bottom line is that a slave’s service is defined by what the master wants and needs and not by some mythical concept of what service should be. If those needs are to have the house cleaned, grass mowed, and car washed, then that is how service is primarily defined; if those needs are centered on organizing and managing the master’s household and schedule, then that is how service is primarily defined; if those needs are a mixture of both, or take on some other form entirely, then that is how service is primarily defined.

In the end it is all about the socks, or finding the perfect hotel, or drafting an appropriate email, or maintaining the yard, or editing a book, or cleaning the toilet, or __________ (you fill in the blank). It is service that is essential -- not the form that it takes. And yes, I was very pleased with my socks.

In leather,
Master Jim

:: 2:31 PM [+] ::
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