Enjoy every sandwich.

Ok, so hopefully you all are familiar with Warren Zevon, if not, then just remember that he’s the guy who wrote “Werewolves of London” among many other great songs…

Short version of the long story, great songwriter diagnosed with lung cancer, decided not to do anything about it and then wrote an album about his forthcoming death….

Depressing stuff, but enlightening all the same.

Before I knew anything about Warren, David Letterman dedicated an entire show to him, an interview, 3 songs, amazing stuff… The most moving part of the conversation they had was the following:

David Letterman: from your perspective now, do you know something about life and death that maybe I don’t know now?

Warren Zevon: not unless I know how much you’re supposed to enjoy every sandwich. you know.

Why was that so moving? I have no idea. But for some reason, it has made me think about that line almost every time I eat a sandwich. And he’s right, sandwiches are good. If you don’t stop and enjoy them, what else in life can you stop and enjoy?

Anyhow, the related story…

A couple nights ago I went to go make a sandwich. Standard peanut butter and jelly, nothing fancy. As I opened the pantry door, I thought to myself “enjoy every sandwich”. I pulled out the bread, pulled out the peanut butter, went to the fridge and pulled out the jelly (actually jam, but nobody says peanut butter and jam). Put everything on the counter and was ready to make my sandwich.

Then…. I open the bread bag to find that a mouse had eaten through a part of every slice and left droppings in return.

I could not enjoy my sandwich.

Now normally, I think I would just shrug this aside and curse the mouse for being hungry, but all because of that quote, I was disturbed.

Enjoy every sandwich, because one day you might not have a sandwich to enjoy.

Enjoy everything, because one day you might not be alive to enjoy it.