I recently found myself with a moment of available free time, indulging in my favorite pastime: watching TV and admiring the craft of good actors. I spotted a simple scene that completely shifted my perspective on enjoying life's smallest pleasures.
It was just two characters having tea. The girl casually told the boy, "Whenever you get the chance, slurp your tea without holding back. Make a nice, loud sound!"
The boy was understandably stunned. We've all been taught the exact opposite, politeness demands silence while consuming food or drink. "Why would you say that?" he asked.
Her answer struck me with such force that I had to rewind it. She said: Of our five main senses, our eyes can see the steam rising from the cup, confirming the warmth. Our skin confirms the hot temperature when we hold the cup. Our nose gets the beautiful, fresh aroma. Our tongue tastes the excellent flavor.
But what about our ears? We deliberately exclude them from this beautiful sensory experience. Why? Let the ears participate! Let them also know how truly wonderful this ambrosial tea is. That sound is a confirmation of pleasure. So, when the moment is right, slurp away!
As a teacher who does a lot of talking, I rely heavily on good tea for my throat, so I am already a devoted fan of the brew. But that scene sparked a deeper reflection.
Is just slurping enough? No. The girl's wisdom about the fifth sense made me realize we are missing the most important way to engage our sense of hearing, our voice, in the process of eating.
Following the principle of 'Annam Brahma' (Food is God/The Ultimate Reality), we should treat every meal not just as sustenance, but as a sacred transaction. This means using your voice not just to confirm pleasure, but to convey gratitude.
It's time to intentionally include our voice by following a simple protocol:
Thank the Provider: Offer sincere appreciation to the person who brought the food to you.
Affirmation: If you cooked it yourself, affirm that it turned out well!
Give Specific Praise: Make a point of thanking the mother, sister, aunt, daughter, or anyone who prepared the meal. Give them genuine, positive feedback.
Acknowledge the Joy: Express that you feel truly blessed or satisfied after tasting the dish.
Focus on the Effort: Speak about the benefit the meal gives you, focusing on the energy, time, and ingredients invested, not just the final flavor.
We often default to commenting only when something is wrong—the salt is low, the spice is high—and we often do this critique publicly among family members. If we have spent years criticizing, let's now consciously use the other side of the coin. I don't know what change it will bring in the person across the table, but I guarantee you will experience immense internal satisfaction.
I know some of you will ask the practical question: "What if I really don't like the dish? What if the salt is genuinely low or it's too spicy?"
Here's my teacher's advice on that:
If the salt is low: Discreetly add salt to your portion and move on. Everyone's palate is different.
If it's too spicy: Take smaller bites, balance it with other dishes, drink water or buttermilk, or have a sweet item in between.
If all else fails: Cook a dish yourself and serve others, or simply fast. Fasting is excellent for your health.
Remember to shift your focus from the immediate taste to the larger process: the labor, the ingredients, the time, and the energy that went into the preparation. Criticizing the taste is not a useful option; it achieves nothing positive. Instead, it only creates distance and damage that is hard to repair. Therefore, be mindful and deliberate in your actions.
So let’s start now, with our next cup of tea or our next meal. Let's slurp with gusto, and more importantly, let's sow the seeds of appreciation.
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