Lunch with Mindfulness or was it without it !!

We went for the navratra lunch at ISKCON temple's Govinda restaurant, Wife Anita, Daughter Ashima, and my father. Of course I missed my son Anirudh, who is studying at IIT Bombay or rather Mumbai. I did remind myself that I am going to eat with mindfulness. The first challenge arose as we were awaiting our turn to pay at the reception cum cashier counter. The nice lady manning the counter was rather rude with the gentlemen ahead of us. He also took a stand of making her wrong. And for the next 2-3 minutes the tiff continued and petered off, with both sides sticking to their respective stands. 

The food was quite delicious had lots of it. Tried consciously to feel the taste, texture and smell of the food. But my mind kept on wavering to the transaction of few minutes ago at the counter.  So while I was eating I was mindful of the food but thinking of that stand off!

My daughter requested the waiter to give 2 glasses of "Chach" for her and her Grandad. She repeated the request thrice. So now my eyes along with trying to sense the food was also tracking that waiter, to see whether he is bringing the "Chach" or not.  Of course we discussed about the food, which was quite delicious, the Arbi, Kela subzi and the Pineapple raita. But the Chach did not arrive. I tried hard to eat with mindfulness. Once we finished eating, I did make a point to request the same waiter,  not to bring us "Chach" now as we have already finished eating. He nodded sheepishly.

So to cut the long story short, I made an attempt to eat mindfully, but also kept on carrying that tiff in my head, the rudeness of the receptionist, the stand of making each other wrong and of course the waiter who did not bring along the Chach. So much so for my efforts on being mindful. Was the Zen master speaking of this kind of "Mindfulness" or may be this was my first step in the journey towards doing things with mindfulness !! 

Would try to continue this journey mindfully and keep on blogging!!