Let’s assume I am composing this week’s quarantine letter on the finest vellum using a 1940’s style fountain pen. “Putting pen to paper” sounds much more elegant than “putting fingers to keyboard.”
That is sort of what this is about. Simple indulgence. Here’s the reality of the world as I write: Corona virus seems to be peaking again, the entire world is in turmoil with cries for justice ranging from peaceful protest to raging destruction, small business owners are losing their livelihood along with millions of workers who are out of work and out of income.
Hard to talk about and hard to listen to. With mass communication, the world’s ills are mixed up in our own so intimately that we can hardly shake the general despondency out of our thoughts. Human beings are hard pressed to process so much bad news.
If you have read my writings before, you know that my goal is to lift you and myself out of the gloom if just long enough to catch a quick gulp of air before we are again immersed in the world.
Let me begin with this…bacon wrapped Snickers…I repeat, bacon wrapped Snickers. I guess a little context is needed here. Occasionally I fix bacon alongside my morning egg. I always fix an extra slice or two to escape chastisement from my soul mate. After a recent breakfast I left two strips out and thought no more of it until about 11:00 am when I heard Cheryl exclaim, “Oh! My god!” Fearing the worst, I rushed into the kitchen and was met with, “You have to taste this!”
I was game and she put a bite-sized unknown into my mouth. There it was, salty, sweet, nutty, fatty, chewy, crunchy and outrageously delicious. The most self-indulgent treat I have ever had; the bacon-wrapped Snickers bite.
This is not a campaign to engender a bacon-wrapped Snickers fad. It is, however, a campaign to let our involvement and concern and fear go for a few moments and make that ice cream sundae complete with cherry or watch that guilty pleasure movie or get out the blender and make that frozen margarita.
The world and its challenges will be there when you are finished and, who knows, you may find yourself refreshed in body and spirit and better able to face the difficulties of the day and fight the good fight for justice.
Stay safe, love one another and make your life matter for another human being.
Mike
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