Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
Friday was one of the best days I've ever had. I spent the morning with my wife cooking in the kitchen. I love cooking with someone else, it's like a wonderful dance that ends in a delicious meal. This time we tried out two new creations that were both very successful, wasabi deviled eggs and beef gyros. I grew up in the south, so deviled eggs always bring me back to my childhood. And of course the wasabi gave my comfort food a spicy punch.
Wasabi Deviled Eggs
Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
Beef Gyros
Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
After our morning of culinary jazz we packed up our food and headed off on a picnic. We drove to a park and sat below some gorgeous blooming cherry blossom trees next to a river. We filled our afternoon by devouring our food, reading poems to each other and watching the world drift by. Somewhere between my fifth and sixth deviled egg, my wife read to me my favorite new Shel Silverstein poem:
Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me--
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be.
After I finished consuming food and poetry, I watched so many people wander around the park. It was wonderful to see so many people out with their loved ones taking pictures. I especially loved watching them take photos, because people stop to capture a picture are saying, 'this moment is so beautiful or wonderful that I want to return to it again and again every time I look at this photo.' They are so in love with the moment that they want to hold on to it as long as they can and share it with others.
Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
Reading my favorite poet: Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
After our picnic, I walked through the park and eventually ended up exploring the nation's fifth largest Cathedral. The Cathedral was breathtaking and beautiful, but it was a completely opposite sort of beauty than the simplicity of fresh spring flowers.
Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
Copyright Jeff Howick 2011
After we returned home I checked my e-mail to discover news that I've been waiting much of my life to hear: I had been accepted into the JET Program to teach English in Japan! I can't describe my excitement other than to say it was too much to feel all at once. It was a bit like graduating high school and a bit like winning the lottery. (or I imagine it's like that, I've never actually won the lottery) I've been working towards this goal for a long time, and now that it's finally here I'm relieved, shocked, excited, nervous but mostly full of joy. It was about as close to perfect as a day can get.
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