A cold, chaotic, cumbersome storm is brewing beyond the trembling trellis. Now and then, the tightly shut windows shake, reminding anyone indoors that only the daring daredevils wander the windy outdoors. 🌧
Yet such a worry seems illusory in this small space. Instead, an unusual warmth slowly spreads through the room. Along with that, a waft of savory but familiar aroma begins to build up. Milky but mild, creamy but caramel-ish, it's as inviting as a nutty Netherlands' nudge. 🌬😋
The source? A dimly-lit square dining table that's placed ergonomically against the kitchen's wall. Stationed at its center is a precisely shaped pot, heated by an electric stove. Inside, a thick, light yellow sauce made from a mix of mature, young, and a touch of aged Gouda has started boiling. Cuts of bread, colorful vegetables, and choices of meat products on the side tray complement the curious concoction. 🧀🥖
It doesn't take a genius to piece two and two together. A Fondue Party is afoot! 🥘🍴
Soon enough, three people sit around the table. A young woman, her little sister, and their mother, who are all looking giddy. The lady of the house has the first honor. She picks up a long fork to spear a piece of bread and dip it into the melted cheese. Her grinning nod upon taking the hot bite gets the feast going! 👩👧👦
Excited, the little girl pokes a cauliflower and uses it to stir the pot. The action triggers a small eruption on the pot, causing her to squeal in surprise. Everybody laughs, adding even more warmth to the mood. Never once do the echoes of thunder or flashes of lightning bother the three. All they know is they're having fun, enjoying a moment of togetherness, so simple, yet savory. 💞💛
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| Source: primadonna-cheese.com |
A Caquelon of Coulds
Doesn't that sound delightful? It seemed like a genuine pleasure, right? Then again, that could also come off as somewhat unrealistic to some people. "That's not how a Fondue Party works," they might argue. 😒
Well, for that argument, my response is: "Guilty of all charges!" Hahaha. 😁
The story might've felt a little too poetic because it WAS, indeed, fiction. A scene that swirled around in my head that whisked a fragment of idealized imagination into typed sentences! After all, I've always been curious about a fondue party. However, as embarrassing or even heartbreaking as it is to admit, I've never even had one! 😅🤷🏻♂️
Not the authentic Swiss experience with wine and fancy cheese, at least. I recall vaguely having a smaller-scaled spear-and-dip chocolate dessert at a hotel's breakfast buffet. Or was it an all-you-can-eat restaurant? Hmmmm. Did that count as a fondue, though? Most probably not. 😂🙄
Wait, but a hot pot, or as they call it, fondue chinoise, counts? For real?! 🤯
Considering the possibility of heading to Switzerland to get a proper cheese or chocolate fondue is slim to none (my studies of teleportation haven't produced any result, mind you), there's one feasible option. I could make one myself! There are various easy-to-follow recipes online. Even Switzerland Tourism has already posted a handy guide for it, which they assured, "That's not a crime!" 😛
Better yet, I think that'll make a cool resolution this year! Hahaha... ✌😆
Now, hold it right there! Why go with something so pointless or petty as a resolution, moreover, a New Year's resolution, of all things? This feels like a bucket list level. Shouldn't one aim for something bigger or better in life? 🤔
Fair point! In that case, how about getting a bigger pot for the fondue! That way, the process can welcome more participants to taste together. Or perhaps getting two smaller pots would be the better option? I mean, I'm not a big fan of cheese myself, so I can only eat so much in a day. Having a chocolate fondue to balance it out can be exciting and wise. Besides, it'll add a variety of flavors. 😋🍫
Yes, no "jokes aside" remark this time around! I wasn't kidding with what I just wrote. That's simply the bigger and better part I could think of for a fondue goal. 😂
Not saying I don't have any other goals for the year, of course. There are some others. Regardless, a goal doesn't always need to keep increasing in scale or size. What matters here is the end result: Will it bring happiness? 😌🙏🏻
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| Source: guide.michelin.com |
A Stove of Subjectives
Happiness has always been a curious case. Many have tried to define it objectively. Standards that utilize different perspectives are established to measure the World Happiness Index. Groups or foundations have their own perspective. The Happiness Academy, for example, proposes a framework of 12 (yes, that many!) Pillars that help people explore what leads them to a fulfilling life. 😮
But that's the thing. Happiness refers to one's well-being. And I will never get tired of reiterating that everyone is unique and different. No matter how "normal" some claim to be! 🤔
(The word "normal" is likely meant to mean "average" by the way, but that's an essay for another day.)
Therefore, while the idea can be viewed objectively, it has always been subjective. No, it will always be that way. Heck, the studies about it itself are called Subjective Well-Being. What one considers "happy" may not mean the same for others. Even if they are, the degree or level of happiness alone would always differ. 🙅🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
I know someone who has a great career, a good circle of friends, and a stable financial buffer that allows access to holidays in festive places. In the eyes of many, that's already an embarrassment of riches that invokes happiness. I've joked and teased that there must have been much joy in their life. Still, startlingly so, the person in question has openly admitted that happiness has remained a giant question mark in their life. 😞
On the opposite scenario, I've had the honor of meeting a household helper who was far from luxurious. Yet, there was always this uplifting energy of sheer joy, especially when our casual chit-chat touched upon how their kids had been doing. At one point, the helper asked me to lend out some money for urgent personal needs. Not only was the loan returned on time as promised, but it came with a delicious homemade hometown treat (which would sell almost as much as the money!). Plus one priceless bonus: a SMILE! A genuine "thank you for being there for me" smile that melted my soul. The helper was beyond happy, and it showed without saying. 😆
As another example, some time before the year-end holiday, The School of Life published this intriguing piece. It was funny and eye-opening altogether. Does it really require a vacation to fancy resort hotels to realize someone is unhappy? The problem is, I can see that happening, frankly. Often, people are too busy chasing big things that, once they accomplish them, they're left wondering, "That's it?" 😐
Much like the records of romance or the fables of friendship, happiness has been romanticized as a grand finale. "And they live happily ever after" is a tale as old as time. Thus, people have been unconsciously trained that "the bigger, the better" automatically means happier. 😱
Except that's not always the case, huh? Or, that's NEVER really the case. ✋🏻😶
Each of us is the protagonist of our individual stories. However, like all enduring epochs, not all are heroes with earth-saving powers and responsibilities. Many are only superstars in their slumber's abode. In daylight, they're living an average life like that next-door neighbor who always fancies bread for breakfast or that gleeful girl on the city bus who reads every street sign like her steadfast mission. The people with nothing extraordinary about them, but with authenticity in their emotions! 🚶♂️🏃♀️😊
The squishy souls, as I'd like to call them. ☺️
Oh, that's not an insult or derogatory calling, of course! Squishy may sound awful, especially in certain fields (such as politics, which isn't my thing). The squishies aren't the tough nuts that require healthy teeth to crack. Sturdy achievers with a sage-like aptitude? Nope! Business moguls with high-tech, deep-financed dwellings? Far from those. 😅
Even so, in their vulnerable, emotionally soft and tender selves, they could openly feel without even trying. It doesn't require a hike to Mount Everest or purchasing a limited launch Porsche to make them smile. They are easily moved by small moments of warmth and sincerity. And they don't even pretend to be someone they're not, unlike those who are trying too hard on social media. They feel content just being themselves, even when life isn't being kind enough. 🙆🏻♀️🧡🙆🏻♂️
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| Source: cookidoo.international |
A Fork of Feelings
It's okay to pursue happiness as the be-all end-all. But what if it's not even that hard to find? Chasing bigger and better things in life is admirable and inspiring. But if there's no joy in the journey, what's the point? 🤷🏻♂️
A Japanese cultural concept, Ichigo Ichie ("One Meeting, One Chance"), invites people to live in the moment. To treasure each experience and every encounter as once in a lifetime. Logically speaking, it's astoundingly accurate. The precise time we spend doing something and the space we share with someone else will never, not once, repeat twice. Even if the situation and interaction create more rounds, the components would be unique in themselves. 💁🏻🙋🏻♀️
The fundamental core is appreciation or gratitude. And well, would you look at that, it's the first of the Five Pillars of true lifelong happiness! It doesn't mean that every small thing happening in life will be positive. But with the same logic, the bad and unpleasant ones also don't stay in place. A minute later, that sad feeling already becomes a fleeting past. That's when it can be valued as a lesson learned. 😫😌
That may be, just maybe, why many squishy souls have found happiness without even trying. Despite the challenges of their daily routine, there are times they can smile or let out a good laugh. Because they make the most of every moment, they value every voice, the vivid or vain, knowing it doesn't happen twice. To find pleasure in the journey, not just in the finish line. And when every meal is savored, and each step is strolled, the imperfection creates harmony and blooms into happiness within. 🙆🏻♂️🙆🏻
And that's why it's good enough to be squishy souls. In their simple, subjective selves, even a warm fondue shared with loved ones sounds nice! 💛🎵
Moreover, there's a soothing sentimentality in dipping food items into a gooey goop, chomp-worthy cheese. Really, everyone could use a little cheesiness in their checkered life, if you ask me. To just let things that are rough and tough be wrapped with a savory sensation. Or in the case of chocolate fondue, with a sweet sheet that stimulates smiles. 😋😄
It doesn't mean they're burying reality under a facade or a cover-up. Consider seeing it as an optimistic approach. A quiet one that subtly owns the situation but also acts as a proclamation:
"Life may be bland or tasteless. And there will be hard stuff on the table. But I choose to embrace and enjoy it with a bit of cheese or something sweet. Because by doing so, it might feel a little more enjoyable, if not elated. That there's jolly joy in just living." 😌✨
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| Source: commons.wikimedia.org |
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