Do you want the last slice of pizza? I know I do, I also want the first one, second one, the crispy corner one and the cheesy middle one. What are the chances I’m getting the slice I want in a room full of equally crazed pizza-loving friends?
I’m proud to say the odds are pretty good these days (we even shared with a FedEx guy last weekend!). This behavior was not always the case.
Wrestling to get a slice.
I remember back to slumber parties I would attend while growing up and how filling my pizza appetite felt so difficult. The chance of getting the last slice seemed nearly impossible, even getting a fulfilling amount was a challenge. Picture a rabid pack of sweaty 13 year-olds lunging on a pizza, snarling and devouring it’s entirety like a pack of starved wolves.
It felt like the goal was to shovel down each slice as fast as possible in hopes of getting another. This struggle to adequately meet my pizza needs haunted me through daycare, middle school sleepovers, even into college parties. After awhile I was conditioned to grapple for whatever pizza I could get my hands on. Eventually I started acting selfishly and feeling bitter when I didn’t get my way. I had developed a sense of pizza entitlement.
The pizza universe shines down.
As I got older, I started reading more and became intrigued by ideas commonly presented in eastern philosophy like mindfulness and karma. I’ve always been intrigued by karma; the idea that you get what you give or you reap what you sow. That idea always seemed so simple and practical; live and treat others well and things work out well.
I realized I had to start sharing my pizza, and start exchanging some good karma with the universe. Learning to give was a challenge at first, as I fought the selfishness I had developed. I had to figure out how to be content with my conditions and to empathize with others. I had to get back to the basics of what makes pizza fun; enjoying it with someone else.
Give it away and enjoy the party.
The true greatness of pizza is it’s ability to connect us with other people. Pizza is delicious and fun to eat, but it’s all about the time we spend together. When I share my favorite pizza with others and get to see them light up the same way I do, a new level of happiness emerges.
Sometimes after I’ve shared a slice, I’ll receive one back when I want it even more. Though I’d like to think it’s karma, I always try to remind myself there is no keeping score and I should expect nothing in return. Giving is all about helping another person and the reward is knowing you brought them satisfaction.
What pizza taught me:
When giving to someone the highlight is knowing you contributed to their happiness. Pizza is delicious and versatile, but more importantly social and fun. Sharing it is the best part.
Learning to let go of the things we desire most in life is tough, but worthwhile. If you want to enjoy the best pizza, let your last slice go to someone you love and the law of karma will bring that slice full circle. It’s the circle of pizza.
- What I’m eating: Rosa’s Pizza, Whitewater WI, sausage and pepperoni.
- What I’m reading: “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success”-Deepak Chopra
- What I’m listening to: Do Make Say Think “Horripilation”
Photo credit: Sarah Kroll
I’ve always lived by a simple mantra “work hard, eat pizza hard”. I go strong all week; work hard, avoid temptations, exercise and abide by a strict diet. My finish line is Friday, and oh boy do I finish lavishly. I’m a firm believer in having a cheat day and mine happens to be Friday, which of course is also pizza day. As much as I love pizza, you could probably imagine that there is a lot of excitement and anticipation built up into this day.
The Pie of My Life 