I’ve found that Texas helps me cultivate a meditative state of mind, especially in the check-out lines at the grocery store. The check-out staff works slowwwwwly, at least compared to California and New York. They’re in no rush. They are also very friendly. They ask you what you’re doing this weekend and tell you all about their lives. Makes my wife crazy. I tell myself it’s a great opportunity for me to train myself to relax and meditate.
Yesterday I was at not only a Texan grocery store, but a Hispanic Texan grocery store, El Rancho Supermarket. Wonderful food, but double the slowness.
I got on the check-out line with only one person in front of me. I checked the news. Then I checked my email. Then I ate a whole chicken tamal (dellllicious). Then finaly the person in front of me was done and the checkout person asked me to please wait a little bit as she needed the manager to do something. The manager came and did something with the cash while I ate a second whole pork tamal (dellllicious too). Finally we started the checkout process for my things. I should have bought another tamal or two.
Moral of the story: I’ll remember to always buy enough tamales at the supermarket and be ready to eat them in the checkout line, enjoying the present moment.
