Savor the Flavor

So. This post (a few weeks overdue) is about the best (or at least one of the best) dining experiences I've ever had (hence the title, which is unfortunately trademarked so shh no telling the authorities please I have no money for legal affairs). Let us delve into my experience of attentive gastronomic delight.

The setting: Umi Fine Dining, Lalitpur, Nepal, around dusk.
The scenery: Fancy, red tableclothed mahogany tables, with intricatly folded napkins. Tasteful artwork on the walls, with ornate crown molding and wallpaper. Elegant metal-work windows looking out onto charming outdoor seating, surrounded by flora and a fountain.
The smells: Wafting through the repurposed house, to our awaiting noses impatient to taste.
The sounds: Covers of some of my favorite English pop songs floating out the speakers placed in the corners of the room. A lively discussion of politics and news by a group (seeming to be close colleagues of different ethnicities) pleasantly filling the background.
The service: Impeccable.

I was feeling sad today. Whether it's the fact that my dad and my sister have gone back to America (it's not home unless I'm there), or that we have no running water, or that I keep listening to the same sappy romantic Bollywood songs on repeat, or that I keep getting stared by strangers (attention is uncomfortable), or that my stomach (and the rest of my digestive system, I'll spare you the details) aren't feeling too good, I'm not sure. But talking helps so much. Unlike the past me, I'm trying to reach out more, and boy is it an improvement. Whatever I was feeling earlier today, thanks to my mom and my friends (and you guys, through this blog), I feel light and happy.

That's why the title fits this bit too. With therapy and meditation, I've been learning to slow down, note what I'm feeling, and acknowledge it. In this case, instead of the flavor, I took time to savor my sadness, letting it hang over me until I recognized it, and once I did, understanding why and talking about it. In the past I would've ignored it and let it build up inside me until I got irritated with everyone and everything (sorry to my family). But as with food, let what you feel wash over you and don't let it get buried in the rush.