Thursday, November 02, 2006

I had a moment on an ordinary day (biographical note)


Everything happens for a reason. I wasn't paying attention. The radio was on but I wasn't listening. I had just gotten out of class, tired, stressed, in a hurry to get to work, rush hour, traffic and rain. Lots of rain. The rain was pouring from above as if all the angels were crying, my grandma would have said. I didn't make a right turn. I kept on going by mistake.
When I realized I was going in the wrong direction, I turned into a shopping mall to make a left and head back onto I-95 South. Just 'cause I was distracted. Just 'cause I had kept on going mistakenly, I ended in front of Venetia Pizzería. "I should go into the pizzeria and eat. I'm hungry anyways. It's 3 something and I haven't had lunch," I told myself.
And I wondered, right then, how difficult was it for us to just stop, JUST STOP and sit still. Just stop and read slower. Just stop and dedicate half an hour to the act of eating. Or to any other act, for that matter, the act of sitting motionless and waiting for thoughts to come to mind. And if not thoughts, waiting for memories, colors, or just letting nothingness overcome the brain. That nothingness that always lacks the nothing aspect, 'cause there's always something brewing in our brains.
At least in my case, it has become harder to sit still, sleep longer, speak in a whisper, take time to look at window displays, or read the new books' titles on bookstores. How hard is it to focus in one activity and not think about something else, such as having to work, do homework, or go to the gym.....
I walked into the pizzería. I immediately felt the warmth of the place and the welcoming smell of baked bread and melted cheese. I had gotten wet from walking out of my car and into the restaurant, so the change in temperature felt good to my skin. All of a sudden, I was glad it was still raining and breezy outside, that way I could have the joy of sitting alone in an empty restaurant, while the rain was pouring.
"For here or to go?" The pizza baker asked me.
"For here," I answered.
I sat there. Enjoying the waiting. Enjoying my four cheese pizza when it arrived. Enjoying every second of each minute. Enjoying the silence, the cheese, the sound of the rain hitting the roofs and the wind blowing. Living the moment has become the most difficult task to accomplish.
When I walked back into the rain, I thought I would never regret having stopped.

1 Comments:

Blogger Wayne said...

It is those moments that stay with us. The "important moments" seem to evaporate, while the "stop time" moments stand out as more authentic and genuine somehow. We are far too conditioned by life. Sad, really.

6:17 PM  

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