Eating an Enchilada and Taking in Life Learnings

I was eating an enchilada on a Thursday night for dinner. It was tasty and I had a strong craving to keep eating more of it.

I ate about half of it before deciding to pause for a few seconds. I gazed at what was remaining on the plate and couldn’t help but think about these 2 aspects.

With each bite I took, I noticed how it was getting smaller, with less of it remaining on the plate and more disappearing.

I thought about how I’d feel if it was double sized, or if I had 4 of them. ‘Yeah! That would be so good.’

Wait…but at some point, they would all disappear. It’s all a matter of time.

Learning:
It may not be obvious all the time or we may choose to consciously ignore it, but everything in life wraps up, at some point. We want to hang on to it — especially the tasty foods, the pleasant experiences — but, the plate will eventually get empty. As Thich Nhat Hanh said: “Long Live Impermanence!”

Given that everything is impermanent, the next learning highlights the importance of how we experience this current moment.

2. If, instead of 1/2 remaining, there was 3/4th remaining, would that make you 25% happier?

Not always.

If we’re not involved mindfully in the act of eating, then that extra quarter piece of enchilada will not bring any additional happiness, because mental rewards lie in the act of eating it, bite by bite. Every bite is supposed to bring goodness to the mind, but if the mind is wandering elsewhere while we eat, it’s missing out on the rewards that are knocking on its door.

It’s like we turn on the television in the living room with the intent of watching our favorite movie, but when the movie starts, we step out into the backyard and start watching YouTube videos on the phone.

…so, eating 1/2 is the same as 3/4th, when it comes to mental rewards. Yes, eating more can help the body, but when it comes to mental craving, there’s no difference between 1/2 and 3/4th.

Learning:
Does more of something always equal more happiness? Not always. It depends hugely on how immersed we are in the present moment while we indulge in whatever we’re consuming.

We may have 25% more money saved for ‘later’, but it will not bring 25% extra happiness if we’re not being mindful about whatever acts we perform with that extra money. While we have stuff on the plate of life, the most important thing is to be mindful about what we’re eating, about how we’re living our lives.