What cannot be bought

A wedge from an apple on a slice of bread. This simplest of fares reminds me of my most delicious lunches. I shared them with my maternal grandfather while tending to his beloved orchard. He attempted to initiate me into the mysteries of orcharding, caring for trees, even the miracles of grafting. I was too young to really learn anything. But it did instill in me a great respect for trees and for the craft of orchard-tending. Yet, best memory for me was our lunches: bread and apples and two-three grains of salt which made this simple meal burst into fireworks of flavors.
    Since that time I have eaten some exquisite, expensive and exotic meals. During my study in Edinburgh, I represented my Czech denomination at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and was invited by His Grace, Lord High Commissioner, to the Royal Banquet in the Palace of Holyroodhouse. I have also eaten in Michelin-grade restaurants as well as in some exotic eateries around the world, but no gastronomic experience could get even close to this simple slice of bread with few slices of apple and grains of salt which we ate together in the orchard.
    I am certain you share some similar experiences, if not gastronomical, then in some other aspects of your lives. As we continue investigating Mahatma Gandhi’s Seven  Blunders of the World, this Sunday we will ponder “Pleasure without Conscience.” And we will again try to approach our theme from the positive angle, searching together for what establishes genuine pleasure, and how heaven-ordained it is that pure pleasure is often very simple and cannot be bought.