The Little Things

Part of my preparations for life in Uz is to take in as much luxurious American life as I can. They may seem simple, but these are things I appreciate that I won’t have very soon:

- driving around in my zippy car
- eating chocolate covered espresso beans
- the variety of goods in supermarkets
- clean, white, porcelain toilets
- taking long, decadent, hot showers
- checking my email three times a day
- eating fresh fish and seafood
- making home-cooked meals with my favorite ingredients
- Indian, Thai, Italian, Chinese, French, Korean, Malaysian restaurants…
- American bistros, French bakeries, lazy Café afternoons, Pizzerias, the Deli
- French Bordeaux wine
- soy chai latte
- the warmth of my house
- using my credit card
- browsing through vast bookstores and stocks of music
- spooning under a down comforter
- calling my friends on a whim
- sushi
- scented creams and soaps
- water from the tap
- NYC in 50 minutes

I could go on, but its all the little things that I have taken for granted. Not until I looked at my life here in America under the magnifying glass of limited time, did I start living in the wonder of it all. How it is all so easy, accessible, constant, and abundant.

And while I’m sure all of these things will be replaced by many little nuances of a new surrounding, for now, I’m bathing in the welling appreciation of my present life.

Comments

[Dee]

Thanks guys, but my final word on the spooning issue is I hope to snuggle during my R&R somewhere outside of Uz, preferably Italy ;D

[Wendy]

I guess its important to have the right person to spoon under the down comforter with! Well ... hopefully, your planning will help to keep you in the absolute essentials .... and its true, you'll appreciate them more when you get back.

[neil]

not to be too cheeky...but cant you spoon under a soft comforter almost anywhere.....and i will ensure you are kept supplied with enough good bordeaux to keep you happy....supplied from berry bros london... ;)

[Nathan]

Yes, appreciate them now, but know you will appreciate them sooooooo much more when you return.

Also, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the following in Tashkent (and I bet there's more cool stuff since I left!):
-Good Indian, Turkish, Thai, and "Chinese" food.
-Okay, so that's about it.

But, you'll find new and exciting things to enjoy like learning to cook with new and exciting ingredients and using your credit card to take money out of the bank in Tashkent.

[Alicia]

Thanks for sharing that, and now I appreciate those things more too. I am glad you get a chance to experience them with the perspective you have. It will be the same when you return. The simple joy of a hot shower and clean hair. Having a light to read by at night. Those are a couple of things my mom appreciated more when she got back from Romania.

[mahala]

How wonderful to be mindful and appreciative NOW. Sometimes we don't notice things until they're gone. Good that you can bask in them before you go.