Couscous
“I don’t remember how it turned out. Whether it was cooked properly or tasted as it should. What I do remember is the chopping and dicing of vegetables and the stirring of ingredients in the midst of words, laughter and song. While I chopped up the onions and tomatoes, he watched and absorbed every word, listening to me recount the tales of my childhood. As he prepared the mushrooms and eggplant, he entertained me with his beautiful tenor voice, singing a ‘couscous song’ which I’m sure was made up though he denied it. The couscous and vegetables were mixed and stirred as we flirtatiously teased and laughed at my many cooking blunders, debating cooking techniques, books and favorite bands. Time passed quickly though no one was keeping track, and in short time, the table was set and dinner was served.
I sat across him, mesmerized by his handsome face, his deep blue eyes and the expressions each word, question or thought would arouse. He was curious. Curious about who I am- my story, my passions and my dreams. His own story was told: tales of a difficult but rich childhood, growing up with a band of brothers. His eyes glimmered with excitement as he spoke of his latest projects, turning a bright blue, reflecting the mood. Bite by bite, as the plates emptied of couscous, I fell deeper and deeper into the moment, hoping the meal would never end. The sun faded into the horizon and the darkness crept in. Yet we were still there, sitting at the kitchen table, our plates empty, the quiet space filled with happy chatter and reflective thought. It was just the two of us in the world then, lost in the beauty of that moment.”
Life is essentially a composition of moments, memories and fragments pieced together. The beauty of that life depends on how one paints each of those fragments. We can either paint it as nothing more than a regular meal of overcooked couscous, for instance, or paint it as a life-defining moment of beauty and love. Love and relationships are very much the same. The beauty of love depends on how we perceive and paint each moment we share.
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Hello there!
Just a little something to share with you all…
I came across this quote written by Voltaire that I thought embodies the message of this story: “Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination.” I couldn’t have said it any better!
Meg
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What a lovely story! You are right. People tend to get caught up with the daily grind and never take the time to appreciate the little moments that make life so interesting and beautiful. Really enjoyed reading this. Keep on writing!
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Hi Erich,
Live in the moment! That is definitely the way to a good life! The challenge, however, is not getting bogged down and being able to sift through the daily minutia so one can appreciate these moments as they are happening. Less minutia and more beauty is ultimately the way to go…
Thanks for the comment!
Meg
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One of the best abilities to have is the ability to recognize these moments while they are occurring. I find it bitter sweet to realize that I had the time of my life in retrospect. To be able to identify, and eventually create life changing interactions is an art form, and one I encourage others to work on as well.
Live in the moment!
Great article.
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Anthony,
Thanks for the kind words and support! Such encouragement and appreciation gives me the motivation needed to continue this project. So thank you, thank you, thank you!
Meg
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Tony,
What a lovely analogy! I could not have said it better! Thanks for the comment!
Meg
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Relationships are like paintings.
You can splash paint on a canvas and call it Art
Or you can nurture it with every stroke to make it a masterpiece.
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Love your blog…have you thought of sending the link to S—-? You will make a great writer!
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Hello All,
Here’s a tidbit I wrote a couple months ago about a wonderful evening shared over a plate of couscous. Moments like this occur more often than we think. We just need to open our eyes to recognize and appreciate them. Happy reading!
Meg
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