Jun 9, 2017
Week 65: Avocado Toast
Yes, we’re millennials…and proud of it!
Each Sunday, my wife and I cook and eat a meal together — intentionally. Every Friday, I’ll be sharing our experience here in this space. I want to see the growth that will come in our marriage because of this. I hope you enjoy our story. You can find last week’s post here.
A few weeks back, you may have noticed a social media hullabaloo about avocado toast. I guess there was an article where somebody said millennials spend too much on it — so much, in fact, that they can’t buy houses. I highly doubt it was meant in the literal sense, but rather that millennials have warped priorities in the estimation of some.
I’m not really here to talk about the article specifically. Smarter people than me have done that already. I’m more focused on the “estimation of some.”
I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. Like many people undoubtedly do, I’ve often struggled with worrying about what other people think of me. Constantly trying to gauge my standing with people. Parsing interactions. Endlessly analyzing.
I’m a millennial. I’ll be honest, it bothers me that there are so many articles blasting our generation for silly things like “killing Applebee’s” or being predominantly lazy.
But I start to go down that rabbit hole and realize something…
…it doesn’t matter.
I know that my entire generation is not lazy. Sure some are, but that can be said of any generation. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I feel pretty good about my own priorities. Sure, I need to step back and reassess at times. But for the most part, I feel pretty good.
So step outside the social media bubble for a second and think about something — who are you? Who do you think you truly are? How do you set your priorities? What is important to you?
Those are questions only you can answer for yourself. But here’s one thing I do know. You are you, and that is something very special. This world would not be itself without you. You play a part — an important one at that. We’re all simply on the journey of finding out what exactly that part is that we play.
In light of all that, Sarah and I made avocado toast.
This Sunday was shaping up to be pretty busy, as our Sundays often do. Church, family and husband/wife time can quickly fill up the schedule. But what I love about that is that we aren’t just filling our schedule with “things.” Each one of those — church, family, our marriage — are key priorities in our life. Sundays often are about making time for those, and I love that.
Because of the busy schedule, we decided on making breakfast before church. Sarah found an avocado toast recipe, and my ears perked up right away. I love — I mean, LOVE — avocado. It pairs well with so many things and that rich, buttery flavor is just so good! Any other avocado fans out there? Please tell me there are!
So I made an early morning grocery run to pick up some avocados, gluten-free bread and tomatoes to include in the recipe. Then when I got home, Sarah went about her magic.
Sarah truly is a genius in the kitchen. She moves — actually, more like glides — from ingredient to ingredient. Every motion has a purpose. She knows what she wants and each ingredient has its own part to play in the spectacle. If I don’t catch myself, I wind up just standing there dumbfounded. But then I’d miss out on joining in on the fun!
I chopped up the tomoatoes while Sarah prepared the avocado spread. Then, we set about making the toast and poaching the eggs. Sarah has this cool little egg poacher that you can put in the microwave. I was fascinated by it! But then, I was a little too eager to get the egg out of the poacher once it was ready. Instead of waiting for the expert, I tried to scoop it out with a fork. The fork may not have been the best utensil, because it kind of stabbed into the yolk. Oops.
Anyways, once the toast was ready, we put it all together. We sat down, prayed and shared breakfast together. I bit into the toast and…mmmmmm! The avocado, egg and tomato went together perfectly. Such a great combo of taste. Each ingredient was unique, and each offered a slightly different taste. But together, it was fantastic.
Be who you are. You do you. I’m not saying to disregard all advice. None of us can get through life alone in a vacuum. But don’t be so caught up in what other people think. I need to hear that as much as anyone.
I’m a millennial. I’m odd at times. I was uber-extroverted in college, but now I often find myself tending towards introversion and introspection. I love writing. I love good movies (and I especially love analyzing them afterwards).
But who am I? In many ways, I’m still answering that question. I’m a follower of Christ. By that I mean that my relationship with my God is the foundation of my life, and I seek to follow His teachings and guidance. I love my wife, Sarah, and that relationship is the human relationship I hold most dear. I love my family, and I have great friends. So much of my life happens there — in those relationships.
Yes, I have a job. I volunteer. I do things. But I don’t think I’m defined by them. Even Cooking With Sarah, though a key priority in my life, doesn’t define me. Soon I will turn 25. I’ve got more than enough time to continue unearthing aspects of that definition.
So please, be you. You are special. You are needed. You are wanted. Find the voices in your life that are worth listening to. Listen to them. But don’t be swayed by the cacaphony of the echo chamber. Don’t hold the thoughts of “others” in such high regard that it cripples you. Strive for your best and be you.
I can’t wait to see what’s in store.
