The girls and I were famished after a day of traveling to the top of a 12,000’+ mountain, driving the hills, and finishing with intense shopping. We decided to go into a tourist center and see if a restaurant struck our fancy. A Kashmir Indian restaurant caught our eye. The combination was right; sitting outside under the evening sky, warm weather, hungry stomachs, fresh ingredients, and a good menu selection from which to choose. After when finished what we thought was a “fantastic”, “great”, and “awesome” meal we began to wonder.
Was the meal that way just because we were all really, really hungry? Did we look at the meal differently because of the setting, atmosphere and our stomachs? Was the food really that good?
The questions began to irritate each of us in their own way. The consensus yesterday was that we needed to try the restaurant again and compare experiences. Maybe the bhindi massala wasn’t as fresh as we thought. Perhaps the aloo ghobi’s flavor was more tepid than we imagined. The breads could have been stale and not fresh, soft, and wonderful.
Last night we rediscovered a great Indian restaurant in Teneife. In spite of being in the middle of a tourist area the service was good, food fantastic, and the experience continues to be savored. We had our fill and then some, so much so that the desserts remained unordered – even my dessert of weakness.
Food is like that; “when you’ve stuffed yourself, you refuse dessert; when you’re starved, you could eat a horse.” (Proverbs 27.7) The fact is that we often forget that we “resolve” anything we thirst for like food. Examine your own reaction when you really want something. How do you behave then? What happens with your purchases?
You and I carry a thirst for the Divine. At times the thirst is so overwhelming that anything catches the eye. My advice is to make sure you know the God you seek. When you find the God of compassion, mercy, and acceptance then eat deeply until you thirst no more.
