Food of Transcendence

I do not have the habit of keeping a diary of my travels. It was not necessary perhaps it was due to the fact there are always travels in the future that could keep my mind occupied or the ignorant fact that I simply did not care. Although as of late, and perhaps well into my mid thirties, things somehow are lending a new angle of perspective and I feel the urge to capture a small piece of detail at a particular moment that may seem trivial to other people's eyes, but is of significance to me. Because I am growing wary of the fact that the real

ity of time is a painful one way road that plunges forward without remorse and that any moment not treasured, remembered, or immortalized is lost forever; even the most powerful and the wealthy in the world are unable to utter a sound of protest in this matter.

I have always favored the experience of sitting alone in the coffee shop. It offers the best unobstructed view for people watching and picking up details that may be exceptions to day-to-day occurrences.

Across from where I was sitting, the barista gently warmed her welcome at the till. The morning rush is just winding down. An oblivious customer of perhaps in his fifties entered the cafe shop and had his attention firmly fixated on the menu above the walls. After a few unsuccessful salutations to the gentleman with the hat, the barista quietly exited the till and greeted the foreign gentleman with the menu instead. With her scintillating smiles and heartwarming bows, the air exuberated an aromatic scent- almost lavender and chamomile- that is only smelled in the mind's eyes. Having made his choice, the foreign gentleman approached the counter and ordered his wishes. Despite the difficulties of not being able to communicate in each other's language, a few simple nods and meaningful gestures, and the universal coffee recipe that transcends the barriers of boundaries, languages, and cultures is well on its way of being made. The barista felt accomplished and the gentleman felt warmed, both by the coffee and the welcoming hospitality of the barista. Coffee, drinks, and food- they define us geographically and culturally yet put us back together on the same page.