Learning from small children

What is in a name?

Could the very nature change?

Is it mundane to be John?

Is it exotic to be Jean?

Does the mind expect something new?

When names change does food change?

Does rice remain rice in every language?

Or is it better in Chinese or Italian?

The mind remembers excitement at the unknown

Wishing to learn new things

New wonder remains new wonder

Even when learning that much remains the same

People are people

Rice remains rice

Perhaps the mind changes but not the substance

Is perception as important as reality?

Perhaps people create reality through perception

Is not life what a man makes of it?

Maybe a new language does make a new dish

Perhaps Jean is substantially different than John

It was such a warm evening

Sun shining brightly

Though sunrise was late and sunset early

If it were July, it would be called cold and dark

Perception makes all the difference

So beauty really is in the eyes of the beholder

The eater decides what is tasteful

So Risotto can be wonderful while rice is yucky

A friend of mine was telling about her daughter: She told how she asked the family whether they would prefer “seafood risotto” or “cheesy rice with tuna” for dinner. The family of course chose “seafood risotto,” so she asked her daughter if she wanted the cheesy rice. The young lady said “no, that’s yucky, I want the risotto.” Though rice was yucky, the wanted more of the risotto after eating it all up — the only difference is calling it rice in Italian instead of English. English was “yucky”, Italian was “I want more.” Sometimes there is a difference of names and of perception.