At this point in my life it's certain
that I'm rather jaded. Post the half
century mark one tends to don a
"been there, done that" attitude.
Quite frankly I have enjoyed my
share of both magical and horrific
times. All of which imparted some
sort of knowledge along the way.
Therefore I'm more than aware of
life's highs and lows. And yet, at
times I wish I could for one minute
enjoy the naive thrill of discovering
something new and truly special.
Nature used to help us regulate
our indulgences. Asparagus was
only available for a brief period
during spring. That's what made
it so special! I can still recall the
fervor with which Ethel enjoyed
her first taste of that season's new
harvest. Ethel's favorite way to
serve it was steamed atop a slice
of crustless buttered bread. This
savory spike is now available all
year round therefore any thrill of
limited access is gone forever.
I've never been one to farm or
can. The only seasonal bonanza
that I've experienced was one
Michigan summer. "T" rented
the house next door which had
two heavily laden peach trees.
Rather than waste the ripe orbs
we made (and froze) one dozen
pies one afternoon. Our mania
to save our succulent harvest
seems odd given one can now
purchase fresh peaches at any
market any day, any time!
Once cashmere was considered
posh, a badge of honor. Sadly it
has become the favorite of the
masses thanks to mass retailers
like Uniqlo. One may argue the
merits of short versus long, one
versus two versus three ply. But
few question paying $69 for a
cashmere sweater. Once unique,
now an every day commodity.
Before air travel we took time to
get somewhere. Once we finally
got there, every minute of a trip
was treasured. Today you can be
in Paris within hours. Our jet set
culture provides us easy access to
all of the perks once reserved for
bon vivants and Parisians. Just
buzz up Madison Avenue and
nibble on a macaroon at Laduree.
Suddenly what was once a very
special treat is now a snack on
the way home. Au revoir Paris!
A devotee to Santa Maria Novella Latte
Corpo Uomo, I had to beg my friends to
drag home bottles from Florence. While
bothersome at best, slathering it on was
a special and unique treat. Today I can
buy it in key cities everywhere, or on the
internet including Amazon.UK. All of a
sudden my luxurious indulgence is now
little more than a therapeutic moisturizer.
Maybe I should switch to Oil of Olay?
As a creature of habit I have to
remind myself that knowledge
is power, adventure is education.
Frank's always pushing me to try
something new. That's the only
way to keep the thrill in our lives.
If you've been blessed to see and
experience many things, please
stop complaining. Instead go
out and do something you've not
done before. Even if it's riding
the subway, something new is
waiting to make you feel special!
