“some moments are nice, some are nicer, some are even worth writing about.”
― Charles Bukowski, “War All the Time”
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With pandemic required social distancing and stay-at-home, our day-to-day worlds are a little strange these days. Add to that the news bombarding us with deaths, hardships, violence, protest, and the insanity of an out-of-control administration. It’s countered with only a few reports of heroic and selfless people or acts.
No surprise my mind wanders to escape. During one of those wanderings, I thought of how our perceptions have changed; how during these days we are experiencing moments perceived differently than before, some with more resonance or importance, if only briefly.
If in reading this you’re expecting some deep and meaningful truth, you’re probably going to be disappointed. This is a story about a large moment with a small milkshake! It’s a moment that wouldn’t be a story at any other time. Insignificant moments often capture the nature of a larger event. These moments capture what we were thinking, what we were feeling, and what we will remember.
Bonnie has been preparing most of our meals at home, which has been great. But we feel socially responsible for supporting our local restaurants a couple of times per week via delivery or take-out. While the change-up is good it’s enormously apparent how appreciative our local establishments are of support from the community.
One of our favorite restaurants has a great hamburger with shoe-string sweet potato fries. While placing an order for pick up we noticed a wide selection of milkshakes and as an indulgence, we ordered two vanilla ones.
We haven’t had ice cream in months so these rich creamy ice cream milkshakes were like ambrosia, a moment of bliss. Our experience, our reaction was so over the top for something as basic as a milkshake that we looked at each other and laughed at ourselves. For one brief moment, we’d forgotten about all that was going on around us and we were simply tasting the thrill of a milkshake like it was our very first time. If we order milkshakes again I don’t know if we would be as appreciative. But those two milkshakes now occupy space in our memories of this pandemic and will form a life-story even, if only, for us.
Now the question is, has anyone else had a recent similar experience with something small creating a momentary escape?
The photo “Un Momento Speciale” was made in a hotel courtyard in Venice, Italy, in 2012. Post-processing was done in Affinity Photo and Exposure X5 which included the steps of removing some distracting details, then applying lite edge effects as well as a brown toning. I remember thinking of the featured couple, enjoying some wine and their own special moment, as being elderly when I made the photo eight years ago. But now they seem to be peers. 😮
Funny that your post was today. Yesterday I got a notice that my local Starbucks was reopening for mobile orders or orders to be taken at the door though nobody was allowed in (Starbucks drive through a have been open but my local ones don’t have drive through). I’m a Starbucks fan and after weeks of no go I put in an order for coffee and my favorite wrap. Ahhh…..did that wrap ever hit the spot!
We enjoy Starbucks as well but like you the one we normally stop at doesn’t have a drive-thru and has been closed. I can see getting that first Starbucks “hit” after missing it for months might well be a special moment! Have a great and safe weekend, Howard!
Check it out if you like them. I think most of the non drive through ss are open now for pickup
👍
We haven’t had restaurant food of any kind since March 16, and the result has been a very happily declining number on the scale. We recently connected with a local seafood wholesaler and have been buying fresh fish. Our happy moment was a couple of weeks ago when I turned out a delicious meal of Red Snapper done on the grill. We may decide to give up restaurant food entirely, except for special occasions and Stockyard breakfasts.
I seem to have moments like this now and then. I think they are important and really at the root of the lessons of mindfulness to be present in the current moment. That is all easier said than done these days, but I’ve read, with practice, that overwhelming sense of just appreciating a simple thing can be a daily event. I have more work to do on that front.
Mark, I think we all have a lot more work to do if we’re talking about daily occurrences. :-) But, it seems especially important these days to appreciate those special moments when they occur. I hope you have a wonderful weekend…even if winter is being stubborn about leaving.
My moment was a call-in order to a favorite Thai place then picking it up. Chicken Yellow Curry and I got two meals from it. However, I did make a stop at the local Dairy Queen last week because my sister gave me a gift card for Christmas gift. A Turtle Pecan Cluster Blizzard hit the spot.
I love the photo and the work you put into it. But, I imagine the courtyard is pretty empty now.
Ahhh, thoughts of a pecan cluster Blizzard make me wish we had a DQ close by. When we lived in Ohio we had one about a block away that I could walk to. Too many Peanut Buster Parfaits!
That Chicken Yellow Curry sounds great to me, Monte, especially when chased with a DQ Turtle Pecan Cluster Blizzard. 😁 Of course, it’s not just food that can provide us a special moment. It may be an especially relevant passage in a book we read or a friendly gesture of unselfishness from someone during stressful times, etc. Perhaps as Mark indicated in his comment above, it’s being present in the current moment or even beyond that it’s something that connects the current moment with a feeling, event, or emotion from our core or past. Or perhaps we don’t need to understand special moments we just need to enjoy them.
Thanks for your kind comments on the photo. Yes, I imagine this hotel may be empty and perhaps closed for now. There were certainly too many people in Venice when we were there and part of the attraction of this scene was finding a couple who were able to grab a moment alone for themselves. Be safe and well!
Many years ago, after several weeks of trekking through Nepal and getting sick with a stomach ailment that still affects me to this day, we flew from Kathmandu to Bangkok, and our first stop was a fast food joint (I don’t remember which) where I had a disgustingly sloppy cheese burger, probably as tasty as the box it came in, and yet it was like manna from heaven and it was indeed a most wonderful moment :)
I remember thinking at the time how weird it was that I could get the same feeling of bliss as I’d had trekking through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. That one single realisation changed my outlook on life to this day. Einstein said there are two ways to live, either like nothing is a miracle or like everything is a miracle. That burger felt as much like a miracle as the Himalayas so ever since then, I’ve tried to see the miracle in all things, no matter how great or small or pretty or ugly or whatever.
Good post Earl. Thanks.
Hmmm, I suspect more than a few stories exist in a trek across Nepal!
Here’s to noticing and experiencing the momentary miracles of sloppy cheeseburgers, vanilla milkshakes, and all others. I’d much rather live a life full of miracles than one without. I need to keep reminding myself when I forget. Thanks for sharing your story, Cedric!