“ON APPREND QUELQUE CHOSE TOUS LES JOURS”

FRENCH FOR "WE LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY."

Sunday 2 pm, it’s time for an afternoon lunch. Something quick, something tasty. Nothing comes to mind… Gotta brainstorm, what’s in my fridge? ha! Today it’s more like ‘what’s not in my fridge’…. Eventually a few things stick out (not literally) Leftover brown rice, tuna, something creamy, some herbs, stuffed into a couple tomatoes over a bed of lettuce, a little bit of corn sprinkled... That should work. Hmmm… only one precious slice of bread left. Dilemma, dilemma… share it with hubby or not? Zat is ze question. Us frenchies have to have bread with salad. It’s not really an option. Its like, do fish swim.
While I tragically consider that thought I put the lettuce on the counter; some spinach leaves, and a mix of iceberg lettuce, cabbage and carrots. There’s something – rather there are many things I can’t stand, such as dragging feet, whining, being sticky on the beach, not understanding how something works, weak coffee, and let’s just say this is a very non-exhaustive list. One more: lettuce that’s become brownish on the edges. Need I say more?
I started looking through the lettuce mix to pick out the few surviving leaves... As I throw the unworthy ones on one side of my counter, it occurs to me that the leaves that were clumped together weren’t brown at all. My interest levels rises, one eyebrow arches. What’s the secret? Oxidation?.. The leaves that were detached from the other ones had more chances to be exposed to air/oxygen… and so the moral of the salad jumps at me; there’s strength and protection in the bunch, don’t isolate yourself!
I’m smiling at myself. When I was a teenager my mom would always find a ‘christian’ analogy for any movie we’d watch. (if you know someone who does that, you’ll know just what I mean) I would secretly roll my eyes… but thank you mom; I guess I still got something out of it, that we can learn something everyday! Like the brown lettuce principle…

I had a good lunch and an even better lesson.



and P.S. Half a slice of bread was just right.