Flip It
It is said as part of Buddhist philosophy that many opposites can co-exist simultaneously: good and evil, happiness and sadness, prosperity and recession, etc. Of course, we are talking about consciousness here: one person’s recession is another person’s prosperity.
Understanding this concept can provide quite a bit of comfort in these tumultuous times, especially when certain sources (such as the media) promote a doom and gloom outlook, and so many of us can fall victim to this energy, especially if we aren’t yet familiar with techniques to balance it out or even fully divert it.
I was reminded of this tonight when I went out to dinner. I happen to be travelling to one of my favorite places and am somewhat familiar with the choices that exist in this particular city. This is a week night btw, not a weekend. As I walked past one of my favorite spots, I noticed that it was almost empty; this didn’t particularly entice me even though I know that this is a very good restaurant and I like the owner a lot. I kept walking and checked out another spot; it could not have been more different because it was packed with people and had quite a lively atmosphere. I know that the food is also very good because I have eaten there before. When I asked myself what could account for this difference, there were several factors that came to mind: In the first restaurant that was basically empty, the owner seems to be content to offer a “tried and true” formula of very good food with a very well regarded chef at somewhat expensive prices; but it was empty. In the second restaurant that was quite busy, the owner already had in place before the current so-called “economic crisis” a different strategy: he had a list of about ten appetizers and ten entrees- the customer could choose one from each list for about the same price as an entrée in the first place. And here’s the interesting part: the food in both places was way above average. Another clever twist by the second owner: he offered reduced size desserts (by no means too small-just right) for the price of $2.50. That’s right, folks, a dessert that would normally cost $7-10 was offered for $2.50, although in a slightly reduced size to appeal to one’s wallet and one’s waistline. Very clever. In addition to that, he had a pithy little saying on the dessert menu that read “Sin café no hay manana.” Literally translated, that means “without coffee there is no tomorrow.” (If by now you figured out I am in a place that speaks a lot of Spanish- you are correct).
Funny thing about this: until I read that saying, I wasn’t going to have either dessert OR coffee. After I read it I had both. A very clever enticement again. Btw, I know that these can be very challenging times for many of us on many levels, but keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. These times can really cause us to “flip” common assumptions about so many things to find a new and better way to operate in this world. And while we are busy “flipping” these situations, let’s not forget all the people in our lives who deserve to be cherished.
