Wegmans

Speaking of the benefits of so much variety, I have to give a shout-out to the Wegman's salad bar. (My last shout-out was to Wawa. Apparently, I like stores which start with "W".) It is SO good, with so many things to sample.

For starters, I'm grateful that I can afford this once in a while. (It is a little high-priced.)

Next, I'm grateful for the many types of vegetables they offer. Vegetarian entrees, a huge salad bar with all kinds of very fancy salads, roasted vegetables, etc. Not all of it is 100% purely healthy, but it makes the experience of eating them something to genuinely look forward to rather than feel like you're eating them as an obligation.

Third, I love the fact that they have Chinese, Indian, and Italian foods too.

Fourth, I'm grateful for the chef at my local store, because they come up with amazing specialty items. (Artichoke flan, OMG, so good.)

Finally, I'm just grateful to have a buffet in general, where I can choose whatever I fancy. Just because this is very common doesn't mean it can't be incredibly wonderful too! It's nice to go around choosing things. Healthy things, sweet and savory things, satisfying things.

Sometimes we hear the advice to savor certain moments in our lives: enjoy our kids while they're little, or enjoy the holidays. It's not bad advice, but here's the thing: it's possible to savor many more moments than just those. In the midst of holiday rushing and crowds and pressure, it's possible to pull back, walk gently, enjoy the music they have playing over the store's intercom, feel a sense of abundance about all the food laid out for you to choose, patience and connectedness with the other people waiting in line to make their purchases. Not guilt, not deprivation, and not over-grabbing. In something so simple you can find a kind of heaven and genuine happiness. Even if you can only hold on to it for a few moments, it's worth it.