some really good dinner seasoning

we had all gone out together for the day, my guys, my guy, and me.
and by the time we got home, everyone was really hungry.

fortunately, i had a cooking brainstorm earlier and had suggested it to the
guys as we drove along.

a week of tacos.
different kinds every day.
tryin' everything we can think of.
a quest for the perfect taco.

we all landed at the grocery store.
each of us spreading out to go get the various ingredients that were assigned to us,
meeting up at the cash register, we were like a well oiled machine.

by the time we all reached the kitchen, we were seriously ready for some dinner.

now, you gotta understand - the guys are big guys - when we all join together into the
kitchen to cook together, there's  not one speck of a bit of extra room. there's reaching
over and around, much bumping into, and a lotta good natured crowdedness.

this was probably the most efficient we've ever been together.
amazing what hunger will do.

when we sat down to the table filled with all the taco fixins, there was a lotta crunching
goin' on before the talking really started. there was some hunger to be satisfied first.

it was just tacos.
taco ingredients spread all over the table.
all of us sitting around, after hanging for most of the day.
nothing special.
no big occasion.
no celebrating anything in particular.

and yet, it was one of the best dinners i ever had with these guys.
the joking about the different taco filling techniques, the passing the ingredients
back and forth back and forth and back and forth again -

and the understanding of what we had together.

that was the kicker for me.
i think because it was low-key, ordinary, filling up hunger, a regular
ol' dinner - filled with knowing what i had.

i understood.
i was really really aware that we were together and we were healthy
and that wasn't anything to take for granted.

i kept glancing over at my guy.
so glad he was there.
and then looking at all the guys.
and all the personalities.
and the bond between us.

i understood what we had.

next time you have dinner,
sprinkle a little understanding on it, and see if it doesn't taste wonderful.