Food for Thought: Divided Odors, United Colors

At times, having an appetite for something pleasing to the palate comes about as hunger strikes. Dining out allows one to satisfy such craving. From the menu, food names or even the images are cooked up to be favorably inviting; not to mention the enticing aroma. Partial of anything hot and spicy, I ordered “Spicy Roasted Squid” from a Korean restaurant we were to dine in for the first time. As it turned out, I was just able to fill my stomach, fulfill my hunger yet spill dissatisfaction (Burp! Fart! Sigh). Subsequently, passing through some American sounding Chinese restaurant, my wife thought we could have dined there instead. I can’t complain though. Perhaps, I ordered the wrong food. For all I know, what I had could be someone else’s heavenly treat. Makes me wonder, are food experts/critics’ taste buds same as anyone else to be credible enough to know what tastes good or what doesn’t for others? Oops, just a ‘pungent’ thought. Lest their exquisite taste will smell fishy, let us just be respectful of the fact that people have varied taste as much as they differ in opinions. After all, same goes for wine experts, movie critics, paid actor for an endorser, psychologists perhaps, even first-world country foreigner to a third-world native or any so called expert on things…

However, quite a number believe in other’s viewpoint just because those ‘trusted’ others happen to have recognizable names and “looked-up to” designations that convincingly back up their claims.

Just like food, life is as flavorful. Our tastes or preferences are what dictate the choices we make. Major decisions made for and from it though are not like any sizzling food we have just gobbled up and could just spit it out if it bears out to be too hot for us. Searing our tongue, our taste buds do not just normally swell but somehow loses its influence for a moment. That’s just how it could be when we seem callous about an effect over some substantial proceedings that were rather influenced by others. Alternatively, insensitive of feelings except that of your own, you tend to base your decisions for personal gain.

Recently, conversations about reasons for holding on to a marriage amidst a rocky relationship were on between us friends. The issue on staying together still because of the children came up as I’ve pointed out how my children serve to be as such for me and their mother, I mean my wife. My friend’s American fiancé contended that staying for the sake of the children is a wrong reason… Contrary to his apparent foreign “taste” for a standard and before he could even go on, I’ve quickly countered that my children will never be the wrong reason…

I’ve made a decision. If I have to forgo of my personal happiness for the occasioning of their own with a tinge of hope for a complete happy family then I’m with them. That will be an essential ingredient for my contentment. I would rather be part of bringing about that expectation into reality up to the extent of my capacity. I am as well hopeful… Like food it is, I hunger for it.

I could actually smell trouble knowing my wife could misinterpret reading this. Nevertheless, I’m relishing the flavors of life. And pride seems to taste good with a grain of salt as I’m about to swallow another… Piece of cake!

Bon appétit!