Living in 3 Dimensions

The moments appear without warning. A smell or taste. A view spotted for just a bit. Music that juts into consciousness for a few seconds. Hints of broader significance.

I was at a meeting last night. Coffee was offered and we all said yes. The host rattled around the kitchen and produced small cups of the dark brew 15 minutes later. The first sip told the story.

Wow! Deep flavor. Aroma that filled the nostrils. A taste experience that beckoned dimensions of pleasure. Made me think of similar moments. My first taste of ganache; chocolate topping to a three-chocolate cake; rich flavor; deep sensations projecting outward. There was an instant gratification that bedazzled the tongue and mind.

Back to coffee. I’m used to good coffee. Pride myself in making a good cup of coffee. But something has been missing lately. Perhaps depth of aroma; taste that is a little flat. No spark.

Getting a cup of coffee from a diner or run of the mill restaurant. The beverage is taken for granted. It’s hot and dark in color. Might be a bit of aroma, but that gets lost in the environment of the restaurant. A lot of smells confusing the nose; coffee hard to separate from the other aromas.

Sip the diner coffee. Hot beverage entering the mouth, passing over the tongue, and down the throat. Gone. In a flash. No vibe of good or great. Two dimensions. A gulp, some heat, a swish in the mouth and gone. Nothing more.

But last night! The first sip bloomed. Into something quite large. Taste buds awakened. Hints of depth became more than rumors. A sensation of volume emerged. Not two dimensional but three dimensional. This was flavor that had depth, width and height. As I said – three-D.

Ganache is the same way. Not just chocolate. Not just a frosting or a glaze. But a taste explosion that bursts into meaning. Three dimensional flavor. An inescapable experience when taste and flavor are truly memorable.

Makes me think of how we live our lives. Do we seek the memorable? Do we make the common things in life special in some way? The music we listen to – background or main stage? The books we read – seminal or entertainment? The TV program – time consuming and passing of time or insightful and expansive?

When we have a meal is it to maintain body weight and provide energy for daily living? Or is it a time to reflect on mental notes that are companionable to other thoughts? Are we challenging life in full dimension or keeping it simple and unexciting?

There are times that are flat; no reverberation of meaning or nuance. Then there are moments that beg reflection, expansion of ideas and echoes of whole chapters of meaning. These are rewards of living fully.

This reminds me of a concert experience I had a year or so ago. The music was stunning. But the acoustics of the hall were very special. Later in the evening we were surprised further as the building itself was tuned to sound production above, behind, beside, and under. The entire building had become an instrument and sounds poured forth magnifying the musical experience. Astounding really.

That’s what I’m getting at with the ganache and coffee. Flavors that stand on their own. Proud and resilient. Expressive and trumpeting. Singular in significance but multi-dimensional in effect and consequence.

Is your life like that? Do you seek its three dimensions? Or are we satisfied with flat sips of sustenance?

March 26, 2013