It was just an ordinary evening many years ago. I became, as often happens a bit peckish, and started making myself a sandwich. It began as a quick hunger stopgap – a bagel and some cheese. But upon looking in the fridge another part of myself took over the process, and I got all stone soup on that bagel.
That night I constructed a sandwich of such significance that it ceased to be merely a sandwich… it became an epiphany.
For some idea of how intense that experience was I’ll tell you this: I toasted half of the bun. I wanted to experience both fresh bread and toasted, so I just toasted half. I pulled out pickles, salsa, mustard mayonnaise, different types of meats and cheeses. It wasn’t an excessively stacked or ornate novelty sandwich, but it was a thing of perfection that grew from humble origins into something powerful and tasty. My reality subdivided as that sandwich was being created; I reassembled my life’s goals in accordance with the methodology.
As I pulled almost every condiment jar and sliceable vegetable out of the fridge I realized that it wasn’t just the excitement of the impending deliciousness that was getting me giddy; it was the realization that I could pour myself into any task or experience, and the more I did so, the more I’d get out of it – in this case it was a transferable learning about attention and focus into reward and results. And the most beautiful sandwich I’ve ever eaten.
I’ve attempted to pour that sandwich-making dedication into other areas of my life, with varying levels of success. But making a sandwich isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. And that journey continues. It’s like life like that. And
There’s more though. Nowatimes I’ll often find myself eating a delicious one-of-a-kind sandwich in front of my computer, while surfing the net. And, sandwich in one hand, mouse in the other, I can head over to see what kind of innovative definition-busting innovation is going on at Insanewiches, find out how a particular sandwich shop fits on the ‘Wich plot at Simply Sandwiches , read as Pete waxes lyrical On Sandwiches, and hear the unified voice of the British Sandwich Association. It’s all there, in the palm of my hand.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t let the sandwich just go from hand-to-mouth; there’s a whole world of delights, culinary, cultural and metaphysical that can be found between two slices of bread.
If you’re wondering where the title of the blogpost comes from, don’t sleep on this tune:
