A Plate of Drunken Noodles as a Spiritual Experience

By Carly Whorton

Written June 14, 2021

Spiritual Growth is often something we reach for as a goal and something to work towards but how do you know if your spirit is actually growing??? What does that even mean?

Today I got a random craving to drive an hour round trip to treat myself to Thai food for lunch. As I took in the menu, I found my favorite “Drunken Noodles” was labeled “Dinner Only”. A tiny ripple of disappointment moved through my gut before the idea occurred to me “maybe I can pick a similar dish and get them to add stuff to it until it’s Drunken Noodles?” Seemed legit to me.

As I sat there with my plan, waiting for the waiter to come back to take my order, my old thought patterns creeped up. Why don’t I just pick something different that is available? Why do I have to be difficult? I should pick something where I don’t have to engage the waiter in a whole long thing and make a ton of special requests. BUT Drunken Noodles is in my top 3 all time fav meals. Quite the pickle.

In the end I decided, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Do a bit of feeling out the waiter to see how big a deal it is that we abide by this “dinner only” proclamation. So I began, “I see Drunken Noodles is marked dinner only – “ and that’s where he kindly interrupted me to let me know they’d “be happy to make me Drunken Noodles for lunch.” Judging by how he chuckled at me, I must’ve looked just as excited as I felt.

When he sat my steaming plate of Drunken Noodles in front of me, the wave of satisfaction that moved through my whole body nearly took my breath away. The Universe was 100% ready and able to give me Exactly what I wanted and I marveled at the deciding factor coming down to me being willing to ask. That’s all. Even though the road looked closed, faith said “trust me, there’s a way to get there.” What I wanted was right there, waiting for me to reach out and accept its reality. And I did.

With every single bite I tasted the sweetness of witnessing the growth of my own spirit. I took up space in the world. I risked being told no. I believed I could figure out a way to get what I want. I believed I deserve what I want. I didn’t settle.

Spiritual growth – how do you witness yours? 

~*Carly*~

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