Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas
Here we are, in November, and I am confused. I went to several stores over the weekend running my usual errands and each time I left a store I felt as though I was in some time warp. I knew it was Halloween weekend because I got out my “ghoul goblets” , watched as costumes were being assembled, and got out our collection of scary old movies. Yet, I turned one corner and there were all the decorations and menu items for Thanksgiving. People were buying solid pack pumpkin, ready made crusts and bags of stuffing. No sooner did I pass through Thanksgiving that before me were ornaments, tinsel, cards and an array of fake trees.
So….what month is this? In what season are we? It seems to me that we have forgotten how to savor moments, times in our lives, and the uniqueness of every day. I do understand the black and white- marketing, retail, businesses struggling to survive in this economy. I also understand that we lose so much along the way. Life is in the journey. We have forgotten to savor each year as it passes, each season as it changes and brings with it so many different and wonderful gifts, each holiday as it provides much more than a business and marketing opportunity, and each day as we cross the paths of many many people and fail to notice them or engage with them on the way.
The terms sweet and savory are often used in culinary text. Sweet, without a doubt, is a wonderful treat to our senses. Savory is welcomed as it adds a bit of variety and flavor. Alone, each are a necessary part of cooking. Together….well, together they are unbeatable. Life to me is sweet and savory. While we like the “sweet” moments and parts of life such as all the things we want rather than perhaps need and constant and instant gratification for ourselves, we should love the savory. We should “savor the savory”. Take the time to see each day for what it is without rushing ahead to the next day, week, month of our lives.
Savor the planning and anticipation of the Thanksgiving holiday as it approaches. Reflect upon all the blessings and that for which we should be thankful. Savor the moments that take you down that path of sweetness that can often be blinding and a bit misleading rather than just the sweet treats at the end. Sprinkle your life with the savory- slow down and allow roots to take hold, meaningfulness to return and a whole life to be embraced.
I will not be putting out my Christmas decorations until Thanksgiving is past. I will be savoring the moments and not wishing them away after the meal is done and dishes washed. As my “ghoul goblets” get placed back away in the pantry and I put away the costume box and other Halloween traditions, I will be able to smile remembering this past Halloween. I will savor the memories and they will be embedded in my memory forever- no regrets that I didn’t take the time to enjoy the journey.
Fill your days with sweet and the savory- it makes for such a well balanced meal!
Claudia
