Embrace the Present…It’s a gift!
I love emails like this—I had to share it with you for two reasons. One is what she said in the email itself and two is because of the Sarah Ban Breathnach quote that accompanies Tiffany’s email. Both have two wonderful lessons in them. Here’s the email in response to a Food for Thought I wrote a while back about why cooking at home meant better quality food; but I said “nearly” restaurant quality. Here’s Tiffany’s response:
“You say we can make ‘nearly restaurant-quality food at home.’ Well, I’ll beg to differ. I have noticed that since we have been using our Saving Dinner menus and freezer meals, whenever we do splurge and go out to eat, it just isn’t as thrilling, because we are usually disappointed compared to the delicious meals we have been preparing ourselves at home!” ~Tiffany
“When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present….we experience heaven on earth.” Sarah Ban Breathnach
Okay, two take away lessons here that really struck me as important.
1) YES, you can make JUST as good, if not BETTER food than restaurants and you don’t have to be an accomplished chef to make it happen. It takes a few simple skills—chopping, cooking at the right temperature, and a little experience. That little thing called “dinner” that requires your effort each night will do just that! We learn by doing. I promise you, I’ve been cooking since I was a teenager, but even following recipes and my mom in the kitchen, I had to experience it myself before I could call it my own. You’ll be the same way! Just know it’s SO worth the effort; don’t give up!
2) About that quote…if you’re focusing on the missing in your life, whether it’s missing income, missing people, or missing things, you’re feeling sorry for yourself and neglecting to embrace the present. I’ve done that as I tweeted away about the quiet in my home because I was missing my children when they were young. I tell you what, I need to EMBRACE the quiet and be thankful and grateful for what IS right now. I had the chaos of young children years ago and for the most part, I loved it. But there were moments when I contemplated where I am now, wishing I could leave the moment! Have you done that? Let’s not wish away our lives, missing out on the pleasure of the present. They don’t call the Present the present for nothing…it’s a GIFT!
And now back to cooking…let’s keep this idea of embracing the present and being present in the moment even with the mundane-ness of everyday life and tasks. Even chopping an onion with tears in your life can be a joyful thing if you let it!
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There’s a book y’all might enjoy checking out, along these lines, re: “being present in the moment even with the mundane-ness of everyday life and tasks”: “Sweeping Changes: Discovering the Joy of Zen in Everyday Tasks” 🙂 by Gary Thorp.