Grandma's Haitian Stir-Fry
(March 13th, 2012)
When I first rested my head on the steel-topped table, ready to meditate, I took off my shoes in the hopes of more comfort. I breathed in and pressed the play button. With that, the narrator’s calming voice streamed out of my computer’s speakers and I distanced myself from the world.
As reality slipped away, I was back where my family took our winter vacation: Labadee, Haiti. I strolled down the beach as gentle waves washed up on the shore and over my feet. I passed over soft, white sand and polished rocks, which were smoothed over by the churning ocean. Chunks of coral littered the beach, and I stopped every so often to examine an especially interesting piece of the porous material. I smelled salt in the breeze that tousled my blonde locks and heard many different birds calling out from the treetops. Some of them chirped, and others let out shrill cries. Both variations sounded beautiful.
Just as I was pushing the hair from my face, I noticed a pavilion not too far ahead. The distance between the building and I was not too far, so I crossed it and stepped into the shade that the roof so generously provided. It was warm outside, but the breeze kept me from getting uncomfortable. My eyes scanned the skirts of the pavilion, and I noticed that there was some stir-fry on a table opposite of me. I approached it and eyed the brilliant colors of sweet peppers, zucchini, and onions on a handmade plate. Steam swirled up from the vegetables, lifting the strong scent of soy sauce to my nose.
A rustling noise came from behind me, and I whirled around to see what it was coming from. Near the edge of the pavilion, my grandma stood with a warm, welcoming smile stretched across her face. My eyes lit up when I saw her. I bounded over to where she was and wrapped her in a tight embrace, happy to see her one last time before she moved 1,000 miles away.
The narrator ended her script, and I sat with my eyes closed. I wiggled my toes and arched my back, trying to wake myself from such a relaxed state. Just escaping the world for a while had felt so wonderful. As I breathed in, filling my lungs to their maximum capacity, I wondered to myself about the next time I could find myself in that beautiful place again.