The omakase menu represented thirteen rounds of tasting the best the chef could offer. I did not look through the list, essentially overlooking that there was a dessert on the list of what we would experience. Desserts are, for me in general, the least important part of a meal. For whatever reason, I rarely crave sweetness. When I occasionally indulge with a body that is sensitive to sugars, I always seem to pay a price. Last night, with full awareness, I indulged in a wonderful, comforting dessert with a fantastic range of textures, flavours, and sweetness.
In my morning-after reflection found with a new dawn, I hear gentle whispers walking me through my lessons for the day ahead.
Life is about living. My story is told through the decisions I made. The details are in what was said and the actions that followed. I hear old words in the whispers. “The best you can do with your life is have a good time and get by the best you can. The way I see it, that’s it – divine fate.” (Ecclesiastes 2:24). The reflections took to the best times – points where love was discovered, compassion showed up, and unmerited kindness did what nothing else could. The highlights are in the moments of beauty, awe, and wonder.
Life includes rest, celebration, and indulgences. Life and living are more than work, profit, and results. I have come to appreciate that even in work, it is the relationships that matter. Success is measured in more than dollars and cents; it is in the differences we bring to our families and communities. Living is measured by the laughter and tears we share and the time one spends listening to the hearts and souls of others. In reaching together for the stars, we discover life’s gifts of happiness, belonging, and sharing.
Living is an opportunity to be messy and involved. Life is never perfect; that was not the point. My life is a gift I can use to make the world and those I meet better than when I found it.
