March 22: Equations

I am incredibly lucky to have a foodie daughter. Our eating adventures rarely bring us to fast food. She would never think to ask for McDonald’s. Her hands down favorite is HuHot – a spot where you pick out your own noodles and toppings, blend sauces to create your own mix, and then your meal is stir fried on a grill in front of you. Other favorites include Thai and a variety of Italian. This delights me to no end. She is always willing to try new restaurants and tastes. It makes being a single mama a delight.

I took Aria out for curry this evening. In the restaurant, I was looking around at our fellow diners. Everyone was paired, either on dates or married couples. There were no other families there. 

This song drifted across the restaurant’s soundtrack. It is a rare moment where I feel alone. Unpartnered. Like a half. Less than whole. Equations that didn't please me.

It passed quickly as a food induced coma set in and Aria’s banter about her next birthday bash (in October, mind you), filled our table with more animated conversation than any other in the restaurant. We rarely eat in silence. We dine. We talk. We dream up our next adventure or discuss our last success. There were no cell phones dividing us. No distractions. It was a rare restaurant without a TV over the bar. Thank the heavens.

An aside – I am incredibly saddened at the shift in our society in regard to electronics. Cell phones in particular. In the restaurant, everyone had their phones on the table. Most couples were texting and looking at Twitter/Facebook, etc, rather than interacting with the person they were with at the restaurant. We are losing our ability to connect in person. To make eye contact and deep dive into each other in meaningful ways. That is a vast loss. Connection is priceless, and I feel it’s weakening amongst us.

Keep your phone in your purse or pocket. I’m sure it will all be fine. Ask the person in front of you about the best part of their day. Or their favorite book. Or to tell you a joke. A warm memory. A dream. A secret. Truth or dare. Converse. Deep dive. Connect. Pretty please.

Back to the table. Curry. Noodles. Rice. Me. Aria. No electronics in sight. Joy. A moment of feeling half but a lifetime of wholly felt love.  

The Civil Wars - To Whom It May Concern