Angel K Will

~a pondering~

If you’ve ever opened a jar of natural peanut butter, you’ll see about an inch of peanut oil sitting on top of the creamy goodness. The daunting task of mixing that delicious slop kept me from enjoying the natural alternative for many years. But as my consumption ways have continued to grow more wholistic it has become my desired option.

Living near my parents for the first time in my adult life, I took advantage of my mom’s kindness. She is a very patient and deliberate woman and actually seems to like the task of mixing peanut butter. She doesn’t mind removing labels off jars either. (Ugh!) So when she offered to mix my peanut butter, I was more than willing to let her do so.

Then one day my dad must have found himself desiring peanut butter only to discover that, in my mom’s absence, he was faced with the battle of Man vs. Natural Peanut Butter. It only took him one attempt before exiting the kitchen, working his metal magic, and returning with an elongated hook. Attaching it to his drill, he stirred smoothly in half the time and without a mess. So my mom’s peanut butter mixing days were replaced by my dad’s ingenuity. He has since come to the rescue many times for my peanut butter needs.

A few months ago, I began devouring the sticky goodness at record-setting speeds thus emptying a jar every other week. And due to bad planning, I found it near empty when my parents were out of town. Oh no, what am I gonna I do? I did not want to face the dreaded pioneer days of stirring by hand, but I was really enjoying that morning peanut butter toast. After putting it off and substituting with honey alone, my yearning for that rich, creamy, peanut buttery protein grew strong enough that I gave in to the laborious activity.

Slowly and carefully, I cut into the gooey thickness with a butter knife and firmly began the methodic churning. Then something weird happened. I surrendered to the situation. It is what it is. And it’ll be worth it. The thought even crossed me mind, I’m getting a pretty good arm workout. And before I knew it the peanut butter was lumpfree and looked deliciously enticing. Behold, what a meditative and joyful process – just me and my peanut butter. What had separated into two, I had the joy of uniting back as one. Now, ready to be enjoyed.

Stirring that natural peanut butter had me thinking about the world we live in and how fast it moves. To keep up, we often substitute quick and convenient ways for the activities that once required us to slow down.

But at what cost?

Maybe there’s be something to appreciate when we are required to slow down. Just breathing, being still, enjoying the simplicity of where we are, in the now moment. What if that’s how life is supposed to be? I like the perspective that stirring natural peanut butter stirred up in me.

-akw-

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LATER

It’s nearing the time to open a new jar, and I no longer see it as a chore but as a treat. A very mindful re-treat. Here’s to slowing down and hand-stirring a jar of natural peanut butter every once in a while.

It can be good for the soul.