Will You Rush or Will You Savor?

I have one of those friends that every time I sit down for a meal with him, before I’ve barely taken a few bites, his plate is clean. He devours his food with the enthusiasm of an industrial-strength appliance, while I take my time, savoring each mouthful. I jokingly call him “the vacuum.” He laughs and in turn makes fun of me for eating “at the pace of a little bird.”

I won’t say that I am doing it right and he is doing it wrong. He is a healthy, strong, and smart man. It works for him. The only thing that pops into my mind is that the very act of masticating and savoring food is one of the most pleasurable things a human being can experience, isn’t it? So why rush it?