I had a Dr Pepper last week, probably the first in three or four years.
It was overwhelmingly delicious. I paid more attention to my soda than I did my meal; every sip was a burst of out-of-this-world flavor.
You’re shrugging. Nothing special about Dr Pepper, right? Just another soda.
The thing is that it WASN’T just another soda.
I gave up soda as an everyday beverage about five years ago. I might order one when we eat out, but overall I average about two sodas a month.
Which brings me back to the Dr Pepper. It was delectable simply because it was rare.
The whole episode made me wonder: How many foods do we consume every day that should be rarities? How much better would some things taste if we weren’t eating them day in, day out?
How much healthier would we be?
If a little delayed gratification makes tasty things even tastier, isn’t the initial denial worth it?
I’ll let you know next year, when I have another Dr Pepper.
Entirely Adequate 
I’m trying to imagine five years without a beer. Shit, just thinking that sentence was too long.
Ah! My wife and I recently gave up soda at the new year. It’s been great thus far. I tend to ascribe to a Zen way of thinking, and try to follow zen principles as much as possible in this modern world. You understanding of Delayed Gratification is very Zen in nature, and so true… Most people whom overeat for example do so because they do not stop and focus on the taste, smell, texture, and sight of there food… They just gobble it up. Perhaps if people looked at more things with your delayed gratification mindset we would all be healthier and happier!
Great post~ The MB
I love delayed gratification. Waiting to buy things you really really want makes them even better, and, just like food, it has a latent benefit (I’m still surprised at how many things I actually end up not buying at all and never miss).
[…] it also came in a glass bottle, which always seems to make beverages taste better, at least to me. I also don’t drink a lot of soda, so my taste buds may not be equipped to allow me to accurately proclaim the supremacy of one […]