decisions

this morning i opened the refrigerator to retrieve some milk and my eyes were drawn to the bottom shelf. there, sitting securely close to the edge of the shelf was an open, uncovered, half-used can of coconut milk. i leaned over to grab my milk and casually peered in to check the contents of this unfortunately familiar sight. "hmm. someone must have put that in the fridge." i thought as my mind flashed back to the life-story of this little can.

i recalled just a number of days ago that very same can being opened and its contents being used to make a delicious curry.

my mind flashed forward to the following day when i was finally getting around to cleaning up after the curry and once again cautiously peering into the can as if i had no idea what i would find. i picked up the can to wipe underneath it and drew it to my face to take a whiff. "well, what is coconut milk even supposed to smell like?" i asked. placing the can back on the counter, i wasn't confident enough in its unspoiled-ness to invest the necessary effort (getting a different container out, putting it in, finding a lid, et cetera) to preserve it for later use. and at the same time i wasn't confident enough in its spoiled-ness to risk the remorse of throwing away a half a can of potentially useful food. so i finished the dishes, cleaned the counter tops, and went my way, leaving the can to determine its own fate.

as my hand grasped the milk, my mind flashed back to the present moment. the can had somehow found itself a way into the fridge to delay its fate. the contents of the can looked a little... weird. "well, what is coconut milk even supposed to look like?" i asked. suddenly i recognized the feeling i was feeling. once again i lacked the confidence to put out the effort to contain it properly, but also lacked the confidence to condemn it to the trash.

i shut the fridge door and ate my cereal and left the can to its fate, whatever that might turn out to be... for which i claim no responsibility.