I like to think that each person has the first line of his or her particular novel hiding away somewhere, perhaps resting along the soft part of an underarm or tucked behind the pliable back of a right earlobe. I used to have multiple one-liner story starters in mind, and, as my mother once thumbed through a rolodex for contacts, I would shuffle through these beginnings in order to find the appropriate trailhead for a path of unconscious and consciously driven thoughts during a long walk home.
I am currently living in Brazil, which is an enormous change from any place in which I've lived prior! It seems to me that the heat and the adjustment period has dulled the influence of these thoughts. After all, once must conserve energy when faced with an unforgiving sun and a constant stream of wonderful people.
This space has been all too quiet during the past year. Life took some amazing turns, but left me so busy that my previous prolific writing style dried up like a summertime California creek. In the meantime, I noticed the world, especially in terms of blogging, began to change. Blogs have become dynamic, lifestyle-oriented places, filled with tips on fashion, food, life, culture, and a grandiose slew of other items. That's not to say that I'm done here... I'm far from it. However, I'm constantly in awe of the dynamic nature of life as technology grows with it. Consequently, I was rendered mute as things changed around me. Stagnancy is no state to stay in :)
Today, I was pleased to have a thought about a first liner and I wanted more than anything to share it in this place. In living in three different countries, I've noticed the importance that each culture seems to place with sharing meals. I want to give this concept a name that sounds a lot more scientific than it really is- conscious ingestion.
It occurred to me that humans are constantly in a state of ingestion and digestion. In order to live we require vast amounts of oxygen, nutrients, and attention. It was through yoga that I realized that the air that I breathe was something that I should be conscious of and grateful for. This concept led me to believe that we should be more aware about how we consume- why stop at air? Food presents a much more interesting terrain.
Brazil has taught me to look at how and why I eat. My ever-harried Paulista friends take time each Saturday to sit down to an incredibly rich and delicious meal of feijoada or muqueca (both stew-like dishes with meat and vegetables), accompanied by icy beers and capirinhas. They talk, they look at one another in the eyes, they give the sun some time of day, and then they rest before picking up again with their busy schedules.
In California I was more of a conscientious consumer- I could ingest in such a way because I had the luxury to be able to choose between organic and conventional produce, responsibly sourced materials and otherwise, etc. In foreign countries, this isn't so easy. So I return to the conscious aspect of the ritual, which I believe every culture, as the Brazilian demonstrated above, has its merits and forms.
So here's to capturing more of these moments, whether here or in another space. I'll keep you posted!
And below is a salad to celebrate- tomatoes are somehow in season here, so I'm using them... but feel free to substitute them with cooked beets, radishes, or other vegetables that come to mind.
Melon and Tomato Salad
Inspired by this
1 medium-sized melon (cantelope is best, but I used a green melon here with success!)
2 persian cucumbers
3 medium-sized tomatoes
2 large limes
olive oil (an improvised amount)
1 bunch parsley with a select amount chopped and set aside
1 bunch mint with a select amount chopped and set aside
a dash of red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
Cube the melon, peel and slice the cucumbers, and chop the tomatoes into recognizable chunks. Combine in a bowl and mix with the juice of the limes and a glug or two of olive oil. Add the chopped herbs, salt, pepper flakes, and anything else you can think of to taste. Voilá! You've got yourself a salad.
Bon appetit!
