I was at the ice cream shop the other day because my wife’s onboard chocolate reserves were running low. If she hits empty, bad things start to happen, usually to me. While we sat and I watched her recharge, a woman entered with her daughter, a girl of eight or so. They ordered, and the mother quickly finished her frozen yogurt, eating fast as though it was an item on a to-do list. Her daughter ate her ice cream slowly, artfully staying ahead of the drips melting down the sides of the cone. Her mother fidgeted, checked her phone, and glanced around the shop.
“Hurry up and eat your ice cream. We still have things to do,” she commanded.
The girl sighed, finished the ice cream in a few bites, and tossed the cone in the trash as she passed through the door.
The mother was teaching her daughter a valuable lesson for 21st century survival. Pleasure is to rushed, or avoided, so that we can spend more time on… What? Things that are drudgery? Things that are painful? I’m not sure.
A stop for ice cream should never be on a list of things that must be done. It should be spontaneous and joyous, something to linger over, savoring every bite.
Check your priorities. If you don’t have time to finish the cone, a reevaluation may be in order.
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