David White, MD
Comedian Brian Regan has a great bit where he ponders aloud why a box of Pop-Tarts would provide alternative instructions to the standard guidance of toasting the pastries for one minute. He shares that the alternative instructions are to “microwave on high for 3-seconds.” He then declares with an accusatory tone, “If you gotta zap-fry your Pop-Tarts, you might wanna loosen up your schedule a bit.” I found this quite funny because it closely relates to my own habitual approach to morning routines, looking for every advantage to minimize alarm-to-door time. Alarm—one snooze max; shower—lather, rinse, done; clothes—already laid out; lunch and snacks for the day—packed the night before; breakfast—a quick blend of vegan protein and almond-milk (only to be enjoyed upon arrival at the office); coffee for the commute— Keurig coffee pods (of course making sure the water reservoir is full the night before.)
Habits of Convenience
A couple of months ago, it occurred to me that though I love a good cup of coffee, I don’t particularly enjoy coffee brewed with the Keurig pods. It was just a habit of convenience and efficiency. As I thought more about why I was requiring this of myself, I began to realize that my entire routine of starting my day at a sprint was quite unenjoyable and stressful—every little inefficiency stirring frustration. I realized that the answer to this was found in my approach to coffee.
I have often told people that the best cup of coffee I have ever had was a French Press brew I bought in a little coffee shop off Main Street in Telluride, CO. I remember that morning well. As I stepped out of the shop into the still, crisp air with coffee in hand, there was a light snowfall welcoming me into the comfortable silence of the early morning. As I drew in my first sip of this wonderfully dark blend, snow danced on my cheeks and lashes as warmth filled my chest. I couldn’t help but whisper, “Ahhh” as I lifted my eyes to the surrounding peaks that stood like guardians over this sacred moment. Yes indeed, that was one good cup of coffee!
Certainly, my enjoyment of this particular cup of coffee was perhaps only 40% flavor and 60% context. But regardless of context, it stands as a reminder that I love a French Press coffee. So with this in mind, I decided to “loosen up my schedule a bit” and gifted myself an additional hour each morning. My day now starts slow and relaxed. I typically listen to the “Jazzy Morning” station on Spotify while I heat water, grind coffee beans and then at just the right time…press and pour. I then sit and sip as I think or read…ahhh.
Savoring the Flavor of Life
I find that this idea of slowing down, taking notice, and savoring the “flavor” of life has been something that I have needed to be reminded of repeatedly. Throughout my life, I have been prone to find enjoyment only when in the right context, forgetting the pure joy and delight found in the object or activity itself. I have a deep love for adventure sports and beautiful places. I have hiked the Grand Canyon, climbed in the Tetons, surfed in Central America and mountain biked in British Columbia— all epic adventures—so fun and exciting. After a long season of living in settings ranging from big city, to beach town, to mountain desert, I moved my family back to Pennsylvania. Life got busy and we faced the common stressors of growing kids, school demands, sports schedules, and work, work, work. As I hungered for some relief, I realized I was bored, telling myself that there was nothing to do— no ‘real’ mountains, mountain bike trails, or local surf spots. I let myself slump into inactivity, consumed with the tumult of life.
Finding Joy in the Essentials
Then my brother Matt moved to town. At his urging we started hiking, trail running, and biking together—Matt always eager to invite others to join us. And anyone who has ever been out on the trail with Matt will attest to one thing…his joy. He is a continuous chorus of “This is so beautiful!,” “Can you believe we have this here?” or most consistently, “I just love being out here with you.” Trust me, the context of ‘epic’ is not foreign to Matt. He has seen the world, having traveled to every corner as a competitive athlete, only to return home to kayak the big waves of Puerto Rico for fun. But while I had forgotten the essentials, and demanded the epic, Matt lives in the essentials—seeing created beauty, celebrating the simple ability to move freely, and most of all, sharing life with others.
So while context can be wonderful and inspiring, true joy and delight are found in the essentials—noticing the simple beauty around you, enjoying good food and drink, spending time with friends and family, or even the simple freedom of being able to move around—to walk, run, jump or dance! But this requires careful consideration of the things that YOU really love and then taking intentional steps to experience those things.
The events of the past year have severely restricted our context. Our circles of experience have constricted our focus to what is right around us in ‘regular life.’ But with careful inspection, I believe you will discover your truest delights to be right in front of you. For me, it has been, at least in part, enjoying my Telluride French Press with each new morning.
“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
—Robert Brault
