I await eagerly for the first meal of the day.
Slip a spoonful of it into my mouth, and close my eyes for a brief moment.
There I was experiencing it again, that warm, fuzzy feeling!
A feeling of happiness and security like all is well with my world.
Pic Credit – Vitchakorn Koonyosying
This feeling is what this breakfast cereal creates for me, a sense of familiarity, a walk down memory lane, a zone of happiness.
In my case, this breakfast cereal of this specific brand, mixed with yogurt, simply transports me to my childhood! It is a strange phenomenon, the flavors that break into my mouth reminds me of the tastes and smells of another kitchen. A moment in time, long gone, when my brain registered only happiness. That feeling permeates through.
Strangely enough, it is this feeling I seek when I finish my bowl, a positive reinforcement, a spark of life.
It whisks me away to the last day of Durga Puja when the festivities are coming to an end. When reality is waiting to strike back and I’m in primary school. I can hear my grandmother’s voice consoling me, filling me with hope. I can see my mother, along with other ladies mix ingredients together to make Dodhikorma (a kind of breakfast cereal). Yes, this breakfast cereal reminds me of Dodhikorma. It reminds me of how my child’s brain forgot school and homework and waited eagerly to savor that food. I had to be patient, as the Goddess had to be offered first. The eagerness blotted out that sadness of returning to school, the mind registered happiness and hope.
I have experienced this multiple time with different food. Food which spins a web around me, brings to the fore certain expressions, certain people, certain situations with a distinctive characteristic.
Buy your copy of Storizen Magazine February 2019 Issue on Amazon Now!
It is almost magical like there are powerful vials of happiness and love inside the ingredients.
In retrospect, certain food items leave no impact on my palate, as if created with indifference!
So, each time I dig in, it is like searching for that magic to explode inside me, that feeling like time travel, where you are transported through the flavors and texture of what lies on my plate.
On this Valentine’s Day, as the world celebrates love, I would like to celebrate my love for food. That magic to touch my life. It gives me hope and sparks little joys in my life, like daffodils sprouting out in my backyard, unnoticed, untended!
Featured Image by Brooke Lark
This story first appeared in Storizen Magazine February 2019 Issue
