Lessons Learned from Champagne and a Snack Stick

Not long ago, I was meeting a friend for a Sunday Brunch meeting but was an hour early at our destination. I decided to relax with a nice glass of champagne to kill time until the appointed hour arrived. After perusing the wine list, I selected the least offensive from an already over-priced list of champagnes by the glass. When the server brought the champagne, she also delivered a single snack stick in what looked like a double shot glass. I wasn't expecting an abundance of snacks--nor did I need to fill up on anything at this point. However it stuck me how odd it seemed to have just one single snack stick placed before me, particularly considering the price I was paying for the glass of champagne. Not one to complain, I smiled and nodded politely in acknowledgement to the server. I stared at the lone snack stick and pondered the precise moment to delve into the treasure that stood proudly before my eyes. 

After a few small sips of champagne, I began to crave the texture of the snack stick in my mouth. My mind drifted ever-so-briefly, as I stared longingly at the snack stick. If I eat it too soon, and am not done with the champagne, I would regret it being gone, I thought. If I wait too long to eat it, then I wont have any champagne left to drink and would have a dry mouth. Decisions, decisions. Maybe I should take one small bite, I wondered, to slowly savor the snack stick in tiny parts. Yes, that seemed like a plan. I reconsidered that plan and wondered if it would just be best to eat it in one bite, and plan now to simply order a second glass of champagne to wash down the crumbs.

Then out of nowhere I was roused out of my deep thoughts by the distant sound of a child screaming. It was a metaphor for my own whining. There I was, with a lovely glass of champagne before me, on a quiet Sunday morning, and yet all I could think about was the lone, lousy cheap, free snack stick. How could I lose sight of what mattered, and so easily, at that? I realized that as Americans, we tend to obsess over what we have, and that which we do not. The notion of a "limited supply" can be stirring...whether it is a snack stick, or more vital needs, like fresh drinking water, food, or even gasoline, which at the moment is still being rationed in the New York area post Hurricane Sandy.

I'm certainly not being flip or arrogant with this story of the champagne and snack stick, but rather to illustrate a point. Life is about perspective, focusing on the right things that matter. Its about living in the moment, and being thankful for what we do have. None of us know what tomorrow brings, but one thing I do know is that nothing in this world is forever. So make the best of everything.