Everybody Likes Their Oatmeal Differently
It's a blessing to be different
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Question: How do you like your oatmeal?
I ask because, in my family, we all like our oatmeal differently. I know, it’s just oatmeal. Who cares?
Well, it’s important: everyone liking their oatmeal differently reminds us that we all want different things in life—big or small.
There are ways to co-exist.
My family’s oatmeal routine
Here’s how my family likes their oatmeal:
My dad - thin and sweet
My mom - normal, unsweetened and topped with nuts, raisins, and berries
Me - thick, sweetened with honey, topped off with fruits and a big slab of almond butter
The funniest part? We only have one small-sized pot, so every morning, we take turns cooking our oatmeal and have to wash that pot three times.
Is it worth it to be different?
Oatmeal is just like opinions
In life, we share a few common experiences: we grow up, we go out into the world, we gain and lose friends, and we break hearts or have our hearts broken.
This is the human experience—the fundamental realities we all face that shape us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Isn’t it interesting, then, that none of us come out the “same”?
We each go through (thousands of) lifetimes exploring what life has to offer, experiencing our fair share of good and bad days. In the end, we digest it all into different versions of truths.
Try it on for size
Occasionally, my dad cooks oatmeal for my mom and I, especially on days when we're busy and rushing out the door. We love the gesture, but we both still like to cook oatmeal ourselves because we can make it just how we like it (sorry, Dad).
Still, once in a while, it's nice to try other people's styles (and opinions) for size so we can clarify our preferences.
Plus, isn’t it sweet when others want to share what they know and like with us?
It’s a blessing to be different.
This line - “We each go through (thousands of) lifetimes exploring what life has to offer, experiencing our fair share of good and bad days. In the end, we digest it all into different versions of truths” - hit so deeply. Recognizing that it’s each one of our own lived experiences and perceptions, to each his own so to speak. Love this.