Getting one’s priority on point
When you wish to get through the day, you will. Your mind will come up with some excuses or the other, some distractions or the other, some games or the other — to make sure you don’t remain stuck in a self-imposed time warp. Different people engage in different calculations to get this math right. One may peer out of the glass window during working hours whereas another may look forward to something that doesn’t even exist. Some may face the crisis during the first part of the day before picking up the remedy while others might languish in the second part before embracing what they feel is a temporary solution to their permanent problem.
Coping mechanisms. A carrot hanging from the stick that you are holding.
This daily struggle meets its greatest contrast among those who like to call themselves a couple. Two individuals who may not share a lot of commonalities but they do share a roof. And by that virtue, they witness at close quarters what it means to face certain moments of hollowness, differently from who they claim to love. Insofar, rituals gain roots.
Take these two protagonists, for instance.
He: “I wake up at 6 and start my day quite early. If I don’t, then I feel left behind. There are folks who can come to office at 10 and feel fine. I can’t. My rigidity doesn’t allow me whether it’s weekday or weekend. I have to start my work by 7.30 no matter what happens. As the time drags by, it becomes more and more obvious that the highlight of my day is going back home and having dinner with my wife while watching something funny (Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee by Jerry Seinfeld is the current favourite) on Netflix. Nothing comes close to this everyday event. Been at it for over 3 years now and am yet to get bored. In fact, as soon as I have my lunch, I message her asking her about dinner plans! She is the one who has the complete say in what goes on the plate. So, yea, dinner is worth looking forward to, no matter how stressful or clueless the routine had been.”
She: “I go to sleep thinking about the coffee I’d have in the morning. That’s how much I love coffee! Without it, my day hasn’t really started. You can’t hold anything I say before having my first sip against me later. I always keep a clean coffee filter ready. The top compartment is filled with two heaped tablespoons of ground coffee, ground for filter coffee, that is. I then press it down gently using the back of the spoon. Later, half a mug of water is set to boil, which I then pour into the filter on the ground coffee without burning myself. I quickly put the lid on and let the coffee decoction collect in the bottom compartment of the filter as I walk away listening to the drops reminiscent of the last drops of a heavy downpour. Once the decoction is collected, I bring a cup of water to a simmer. I fill about a fourth of a cup with the decoction and pour the hot water into it along with a touch of sugar. And while pouring the water to the coffee, I make sure I pour it from a ‘traditional’ height so there’s a faint head of foam forming on top of the coffee. All these efforts lead to a blissful cuppa. Once I see the bottom of the mug, I can fight anything in the world.”
Can’t blame him. Can’t blame her either.
