I recently read about a study that said you would enjoy a sandwich made for you by someone else more than you would one that you made yourself. The idea was that during the act of making the sandwich, you had time to imagine the different flavors that were going into it, making the final product much less impactful to your taste buds. In some way, I understand that and appreciate the convenience of just buying a sandwich and eating it. I’ve done it many times.
But I’ve always found something somewhat meditative about making your own food. If you have the time to do so, it’s nice to know that as you’re putting together the sandwich or chopping vegetables for a soup or grilling a steak that the work you are putting in will be returned to you with a delicious meal. It’s an added reward.
A couple weekends ago, the house needed a good cleaning. I value my weekends because I work a lot during the week and love nothing more than to do nothing. Really, hard work goes against my natural state, so the weekends are a way to return to that. My wife suggested we call over someone to clean it; not a regular maid, but just a cleaning service to do it once and deep clean. I also don’t like spending money on things I don’t have to, so I just said I would do it. For a few hours, I put in my headphones and went about the business of cleaning up. At the end, I had a mostly clean house (I may have missed a spot or two) and a genuine feeling of accomplishment. It made the remaining time I had to relax feel like it was doubly earned.
Since I’ve had that great character building experience, I’ll be happy in the future to allow someone else to come over and feel it as well. Why should I hog it all?
Matt Stoker
