Eating and drinking is something that satisfies the wants and needs of the flesh. Most privileged people are able to choose how much they drink and eat. Mostly people prefer to eat something that leaves an exquisite taste in their mouth, or something that tastes good to them. There are also foods that are bad for your health, and good for your health. The food that people eat is something that some take for granted and something that some may cherish greatly. We have different views on food today. Food is believed to be something that is enjoyed, or is pleasurable in taste or something that fuels us for our everyday life; but I see food as something that stores the best cherished memories of my life.
Every time I take a sip of a Coke, or a bite out of that chocolate, it gives me a brief picture of something good, or bad, that happened in the past. An example would be Coca-Cola! I love the stuff. I hate the fizz it leaves in your throat and the constant belching of drinking it afterwards, but it’s such a lovely can of stuff! Reason being that one time I drank a Coke, was because at one time all I really wanted was water. My uncle gave me coke instead at a barbeque in my favorite place for a holiday. This place being my home town called Cape Town. I was sipping the coke while my uncle was pointing out the stars in the skies, and letting me fry my own meat. He just told me to admire the stars, and if I should become one, never forget the people back on earth who look up to you. That night was beautiful. I was only six years old, yet I remember it so well. It’s remembered and cherished all because I got thirsty from swimming in salt water. Coke wasn’t the best choice, because it made me puke when I was watching a movie, but the fact is every time I drink coke, the memory of the night I spent with my uncle remains.
Every time I go to Nandos the memory of me spending time with my friends in my old school, in the famed shopping mall called “Bluewater”, comes to mind. It reminds me of how troublesome I was back then. I would always be acting up with my friends at the restaurant, and flicking olives at my friends. Not the brightest thing to do in a restaurant, but it reminds me of the cherished time, and fun I had with my friends in that mall. Salted and sweetened popcorn mixed together is a personal favorite. My “Special Friend” and I were in the movies. I took sweet popcorn, and she took salty. We both ordered large, so after halfway, we got sick of the taste, and as she mentioned it to me and I mentioning it to her, we both came up with the idea of mixing it together! As weird as it tasted, it was good, and we both felt proud of ourselves for our “intelligence”. The great memory I have of that was the time I mostly talked and joked around with her, and not paying attention to the movie. A little while later we kissed. I guess it was inevitable I suppose.
Food just doesn’t have to taste good. Something awesome happened when I first tried Ramen and Sushi. I thought I’d like Japanese food, but unfortunately reading Manga was not enough. I managed to endure the strange puke-like taste of the Ramen, and the sushi was the beginning and end of it all. I was out eating lunch after church with Marieth and my mother. She ordered sushi, and said I should try dipping it in soy-sauce mixed with wasabi. My first time trying it was a taste that was sort-of lovely, but at the same time it was putrid. You have to understand that I was trying to hold in my disgust of this evil food, but unfortunately when I tried it again my stomach just finally took a stand and rebelled. With the contents of the ramen noodle soup, fish skin, rice and wasabi erupting in my mouth, I barely managed to keep it in my throat. I casually walked away with a puffed up mouth and a hand keeping it shut, and ran to the other side of the building. There were gutters thankfully, and I just puked out all the slimy, gut-like remains of what was supposed to be my lunch. Noodles and fish just piled in the gutter. I walked back, trying to forget it, and sat down at the table.
“Are you okay? Don’t you like the food?” asked Marieth.
“Oh no it was perfectly fine, it was just a bit of that wasabi that hit the back of my throat, which was a bit too strong to handle, just a little bit.” I replied with no sarcasm intended.
Every time I think back to the time I ate Japanese food, I laugh, because it was the first time in a long time since I puked, and because of the fake quite smile I had to put on once I got back to the table. I always tell my friends “I love Ramen!” just because of the memory that I have of eating it.
Food is more than just satisfying the wanting and need of the flesh. It is a gift God gives us for our enjoyment, pleasure, and cherishing of the time we spend together eating. It’s also supposed to be done in memory of God, and it’s also a way of us to remember to thank him for the different flavors he gives us to enjoy. More than that, it’s something we should cherish and take gratitude in, and remember all the good and bad things that happen when we do, because you never know when you’ll have your last meal…
