I've recently encountered artisan pizza shops that offer the most delicious pizza I've ever had Miami. They both use a crisp crust and are generous with the savory toppings. However, I am convinced that what made these pizzas truly enjoyable is the company I shared while enjoying the yummy, edible art.
Last Saturday, I had the chance to share a vegan pizza (pizza minus the cheese) with a good friend. The crust was thick and the sauce was well spiced with just the right amount of garlic and oregano. We talked, giggled, and compared notes on life, love, and the challenges of education. We followed it with a stroll since we all but licked the tray clean! It was the kind of time well spent that we just don't get enough of in this overly busy world. The kind where you just get lost in a conversation and make connections that make you feel tied into the tapestry of the world.
On Thursday, I had a second chance to share another pizza with a very different friend. Yes, we laughed, talked, and giggled a bit as well. To this we added a shake of silliness and a bit more pepper and oregano. I ordered my pizza without cheese, he ordered his just like mine but with some creamy goodness. Yet, the pizzas weren't quite right when we got them, missing a topping or two. The waiter quickly ushered the defective pizzas away and insisted they be made the way we'd ordered. A few minutes later, we were enjoying this thin, crisp crust perfection topped with mountains of veggies, done just right. It was heavenly.
However, what truly made these two pizzas truly perfect was the company. There is just something about sharing a meal with another person that is makes it special. It is as if occupying all of your senses during this interaction makes the experience deeper, personal, and somewhat revealing, more profound. You somehow tie the pleasure of that savory meal with the pleasure of the company and it becomes a part of who you are in that moment. Maybe that is why certain cultures hold and invitation to a meal as an honor, only allowing certain guests to penetrate their circles. But the meal is not over when you push aside your plate.
You get to revisit that pleasure the morning after with the cold pizza for breakfast. Out of the fridge comes the box, memories of the previous evening make you smile. You open it up and think that you cannot wait to reheat it to experience that connection once again. It seems even more delicious as the flavors mingle in your mouth at 36 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet it is the warmest thing you've had for years. Why? What are you really consuming?
You are consuming that joke he told that made you laugh uncontrollably. You are consuming that raw moment when a she allowed you into a private thought or experience. You are consuming the brush of a hand, the hug and kiss on the cheek, and the feeling that you and your company are both worthwhile experiences. It is a spicy, crispy treat, one reserved for special people in my life. As a matter of fact, these days I share it more often since I know that it is an investment in myself.
Therefore, today I pray you have many delicious meals with wonderful people to fill your life as it progresses. I pray your meals are spicy, savory dishes filled with laughter, the 'joie de vivre,' and many heartfelt moments. I pray that you have the health and well-being to enjoy the memories you build with others for many breakfasts to come. I pray you have the strength to overcome your solitude and seek out new bonds with wonderful people who are just waiting to share a pizza with you.
Love and Hugs, T. a.k.a. Odd Numbered Kisses
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