I’ve been loving Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights, where he expands on the larger meaning of delight through flash essays, and was inspired to attempt one of my own. Enjoy!
A delight is eating oatmeal in the morning when the gloomy darkness outside has lightened into a hazy gray, and breakfast is something to look forward to, but not immediately upon rising from bed. It makes the waiting even sweeter.
The water in the kettle bubbles, agitated, then quiets. I pour half a cup of hot water into my favorite bowl, whose round lip is ringed by a navy blue scalloped edge and its ceramic body is painted with tiny berries. The water drowns the oats while I doctor them with so many shakes of cinnamon—spicy freckles, I call them—that my arm, embarrassingly, grows tired.
Into small chunks I slice one Honeycrisp apple (“qwispy,” as my sister would describe it), forgetting my anxieties for the day as I concentrate on creating uniform-sized cubes. Toppled onto the oats they go, bright red skin turning the grains into a burlap brown background. Now the fun part—the honey drizzle. I uncap my prized bottle of Japanese acacia honey (how sophisticated!) and invert it over my apples, drawing a zigzag masterpiece, golden syrup glistening.
That first bite of twin apple chunks on a bed of oats, honey oozing off the spoon, is the first piece of art I’ve created for the day. Another delight, I’d say.
Yessss the honey drizzle is the best part!!!!!!
I love this, and I’m intrigued by this book. You’re making me want to a) eat some oatmeal, and b) write a “delight it” essay!