The Taste of Change

What happens when you take a bite of carefully crafted artisanal cheese?*

1. You are transported zingingly into the present
2. You judge it: I like this; I don’t like this
3. You grope to describe it: It’s creamy, complex, dark, light, whimsical, nutty, assertive.
4. All of the above

The thing about taste is that it’s so deliciously about self. Can you think of anything more personal than your sense of taste? I love it; you hate it. That’s okay. Taste offers a vivid window onto our likes and dislikes.

When we follow our gustatory responses beyond the physiology of our taste buds to broader associations, we can uncover important values: Craft, tradition, patience, purity—the qualities that go into a handmade cheese, for example. Other foods might elicit countless connections: comfort, adventure, abundance, scarcity.

Of course, any experience that stimulates our senses can be used as a springboard for a mini values inventory. We just have to heighten our awareness. What would be the purpose of doing that?

Values catalyze change. By paying attention to what really excites us and what really turns us off, we can ask ourselves, “How can I invite more of this into my life?” or “How can I live in a way that brings me less of that?”

Next time you squirm with delight or grimace with disgust at the table, will you let it wake you up to a deeper insight?

*Apologies to my non-dairy friends who might prefer to look for their value clues in savory lentils or the intriguing bitterness of broccoli rabe.