smooth transition.

I have eaten at my fair share of fancy places, but never where I have been given sorbet in between meals to cleanse my palate. But I can imagine that it is quite refreshing. It seems so natural to have a light, icy treat in between courses to allow your tongue to better taste what is coming next. It gives you an opportunity to truly enjoy every moment of a dining experience to it’s fullest.

In my college choir days, our professor would always use that word to help us transition in between songs. Once we finished a piece in rehearsal and the notes were still hanging in the air, he would quietly whisper that word to us. At that moment we knew- this was our chance to cleanse our musical “palates” and prepare for the next piece. Whether we enjoyed the last one or it was a disaster, it was over, and time to move on, to embrace the next piece for all of it’s unique challenge and beauty.

I got to thinking the other day about my “sorbets” in life.  After a long day, how do I come back to myself, ‘cleanse my palate”, so to speak. How do I appreciate what has taken place, and prepare myself for what is next?

Here are a few:

- Listening to music

- Silence

- Prayer

- Singing

- Rolling the windows down

- Breathing in deeply

- Taking a walk

- Playing with my dog

- Chatting with a friend

- Reading

What are your “sorbets”? How do you come back to yourself in the midst of a crazy day and hectic schedule, and prepare yourself to appreciate the beauty of the moment?