I would say around a year and a half ago (even a bit more now), we received the very devastating news that my dad had been diagnosed with cancer. It was a dark time for all of us (especially my dad) and before his surgeries began, I remember going out to eat at The Grand Concourse. I can remember the food tasting okay. Even though there were so many options and countless desserts, the vibe was different. The colors of the food looked dull. I do not remember enjoying the smooth coffee or the homemade donut or even the salads. Back then, life had been messy. Sometimes it only takes the weakening of one color in the rainbow to make the whole rainbow grow dull. Quite lliterally, color had been taken out of our world.

Flash forward a year and a half (and a bit more) and my dad is now cancer free. A whimsical Deja Vu of sorts. And the meeting this time was just so much more grand- no pun intended. And you know how the saying goes, "A lot happens in a year." Well, quite literally a lot has happened in a year. The fact that everyone was able to gather together with night shifts and work schedules was a miracle. The fact that color was brought back into our world was a miracle. The taste of the coffee was different, the donut actually sweet. It's amazing the tunnel vision you wear when filled with sadness because I do not remember many of the items on the old menu of life. That is okay I think. Time heals the heart. Time heals the menu too. And just like the food menu changes every now and again so does the menu of life. 

One fluffy waffle topped with pride and courage in fighting cancer. 

A pasta dish filled with patience. Renewed patience in schedule. Renewed patience in time. Renewed understanding in flexibility. 

Two coffee cups sitting side by side clanking quietly- a relationship not yet blossomed or even detected precisely a year and a half ago. 

Truth. We will not always enjoy the exotic flavors of the new menu. Sometimes they jive with our spirit and other times they taste bitter or even out of place (and maybe they are.) However, one thing is for certain-we do not choose the flavors of the day. But it is our job to make them jive within us.