Wednesday Bubble – Cherry Tomatoes

Posted by Liz on Aug 13, 2008 in Inspiration | 4 comments

In last Wednesday’s post, I mentioned that I would be devoting Wednesdays to shedding light on a popular misconception about a menopausal treatment or symptom, discussing research that proves or disproves a theory or simply highlighting an important thought for the day.

This morning, the Universe gave me the inspiration.

Cherry tomatoes.

When I was growing up, one of the two restaurants I liked to frequent for a special birthday dinner was down the Jersey shore. It was called the Lobster Shanty and was in Toms River. (Evidently, all these decades later, it’s still in business.)

One of my last memories of eating at the Lobster Shanty was during a Summer break from college. My parents and I were enjoying our meals when suddenly, a cherry tomato become lodged in my throat, cutting off my air supply. Fortunately, the incident didn’t result in any headlines, but for years thereafter, I didn’t eat cherry tomatoes.

This morning, a cherry tomato, again, became lodged in my throat. I will spare any squeamish readers the gory details but I’m here to write this so needless to say, all’s well that ends well.

Twice in a lifetime.

Not many of us are given more than one opportunity. Truly I consider myself lucky to have lived both times. This morning’s episode (and its aftermath) wasn’t pretty.

Last week, fellow blogger Tim Walker wrote a beautiful, inspirational post on living richly every day because life is too often, unexpectedly shortened. In only a moment.

In a moment, cherry tomatoes can become lodged in one’s throat. In a moment, someone you love may be diagnosed with a chronic terminal illness. And in a moment, this wonderful thing we call life can be stolen away.

Tim’s writings resonated with me but at the time I didn’t know why. This morning, I learned the lesson that they were meant to impart:

Life’s present is to be present.

In the moment.

Thanks Tim.