People can be so annoying. Especially when they show me something about myself I don’t want to see.
It happened at a recent Meetup. One of my fellow students of Tarot read her cards with fluttering hands and plenty of mystical drama. Normally, I would chalk it up to personal style and perhaps find it amusing. This time, it irritated me.
Why? If I needed to justify my feeling, I’d point to the way she spouted prognostications as set-in-stone truths. This precludes free will and thus violates my code as a Tarot reader.
But that very afternoon, I’d rolled my eyes while telling a friend about a client’s infatuation with the mystical trappings commonly assigned to the intuitive and psychic sides of life.
What was my beef?
Time to look in the mirror
Truth is, I was once as infatuated as my client. And while I’ve not indulged in the kind of hand-fluttering as my fellow reader, I recognize it as a symptom of the same thing.
It seemed my irritation stemmed from being reminded of a version of myself I’ve left behind. But if I’d truly left it behind, I’d feel compassion rather than irritation.
My irritation carried the ugly whiff of judgment. And now that I’ve noticed it, other examples are popping up. They represent different areas of my past/beliefs/self-image. Facing these mirrors challenges me. It’s uncomfortable to admit to feeling judgmental, of myself and/or of others.
It helps to remind myself that I’ve grown–I’m experiencing these feelings from a perspective never before possible for me.
In other words, it’s okay to be where I am today. It’s merely my opportunity to embrace what I see in the mirror, and to appreciate the people who show it to me.
What are your mirrors showing lately? How do you handle it?
Photo credit (mirror): Elizabeth/Table4Five
Ever felt overwhelmed when asked to choose among awesome things? That was me at Nosh Euro Bistro this week.
A friend was treating me to lunch, and just reading the menu made me salivate. How would I choose?
She suggested I asked to have the chef surprise me. What a great idea! I asked for something from the “nosh” category and an entree.
Elevating “special” to “memorable”
The presence of a friend I’d not seen in far too long, combined with fanciness of the place (and that she was treating!) would have been plenty to make the day special. Add in the “surprise me” game and we had ourselves a high time.
Rather than turn my “50 New Things” project into a blog about food (rather than the full range of experiences I intend to include), I’ll simply say this about the things that turned up at our table: decidedly drool-worthy. Yum.
Will I play this game again? Absolutely. It needn’t be a restaurant-only game, either. Imagine playing it in the bookstore. At the movie theater. In the airport. I can’t wait to see what else these two words might bring me.
Photo from Nosh Euro Bistro website
Do you hold a grudge? For decades, I’ve nursed one against bivalves. You know–clams, oysters, mussels and such. At some point, I tasted a rubbery specimen and declared their whole classification icky.
But this year, I’m trying 50 new things. It’s a perfect time to put old prejudices up for review. Bivalves are getting a second chance. It began on my birthday, when two foodie friends presented me with brined, butter-seared scallops as part of a to-die-for five-course dinner.
And now, oyster nachos from Fish City Grill. A friend’s description had me drooling, so we shared a plate.
A burst of taste and texture
My friend had not exaggerated. For while the menu gives us only 9 descriptive words–”Fried oysters, chipotle tartar sauce, fresh pico de gallo”–I hereby declare them Divinity on a plate!
My apologies to bivalves everywhere. It’s not you, it’s the cook.
Turns out it’s fun, questioning old assumptions. It feels good to admit to an old injustice and let it go, thus lightening the load. And what easier (or yummier) place to practice than with what’s on our dinner plates?
I recommend the oyster nachos.
Photo credit: denn
