To Munch an Eggplant

To munch an eggplant is to be spontaneous. It is not something you plan to do, it is just something that you do. Spontaneity is being spontaneous, or it is when something is done or said in a natural and often sudden way and without a lot of thought or planning. Being spontaneous is important for your quality of life. It is healthy to do things just on a whim so as to let out stress and pent up energy. When you plan out everything in your life, you have control, but you also have expectations that give you anxiety and they are often not met– this causes stress. Letting go gives you that exhilarating, free- falling sensation that is paramount to feeling well. 

This past spring is when I began to realize just how essential a bit of spontaneity really is in life. I discovered this one day after finishing dragon boat practice on the Willamette. 

Down by the waterfront, there are many fountains, but there is this one that I always pass as I leave the docks; it is across from the World Trade Center. That night, as I passed it, I just felt like I should jump in it (I should note that I am a shy person). Even though I was spattered with Willamette water and experiencing chattering teeth, I wanted to jump in it. So I did. I ran towards that fountain and jumped right through it. I danced around its center, becoming drenched as its arcs of water hit me. It didn't matter that there were people watching me. I wasn't embarrassed. I was happy to feel so free. My dancing only lasted thirty seconds and left me completely wet and cold, but I did not regret having done so. For as a I walked away, I saw that all those people who had been watching me were now dancing in the fountain. 

After that night, I decided that spontaneity is important and that I would do one spontaneous thing per week. Yes, it is planning to be spontaneous, but I did not know what that spontaneous moment would be, or when it would occur. Since then, I have kept up with this goal (keep in mind, you cannot force spontaneity) and I am feeling a lot better than I had been.