Good Feeling #5 – Melisa’s healthy journey of food from terrace to stove

Mel's Own

It's a feast for your taste buds

when you add your hard work

to chicken curry

Hobbies are born out of passion. If the color of that passion is green, it is a reason to celebrate. This is the story of one such green passion. This is the story of Melisa Pereira’s terrace garden.

Around the month of March, when I thought of starting this blog to celebrate stories of passion; of mine, of my friends, of my readers, of my followers on social media, of artists… I happened to stumble upon Melisa’s passion. Ever since, I have wanted to write this story. And I feel extremely guilty of the delay caused in writing this story.

Melisa and I have known each other for almost eight years now. I’ve always known her as the intelligent woman with a heart of gold; her sense of humor is equally compelling. But when I discovered her passion for vegetable gardening, I couldn’t hold myself back from wanting to know more about this passion of hers. When I was chatting with her over WhatsApp; I could sense her love for her terrace garden.

She shared some of the pictures of the stuff she has been growing in her terrace. The shade of green left me feeling hungry and eager to taste something made in her kitchen. Generous by nature; Melisa shared the photographs of the chicken curry which she had made. She had added tomatoes and coriander to the chicken curry. These tomatoes and coriander are a product of her terrace. Since I was not at her place and I was just gazing at the photograph of that curry; I asked Melisa – How is the taste buddy?

She replied in these words:

It's a feast for your taste buds when you add your hard work to chicken curry (home grown tomatoes and coriander)

#MyJourneyFromTerraceToStove

Please make a note of the ‘longer than life’ hashtag she added at the end of the message. I have used the same words to also write the title of Melisa’s very own story.

Apart from tomatoes and coriander, her terrace is home to eggplant, green chilies and many more varieties of organic food. Even though, I know it will take me a good amount of time to earn her personal invitation; the photographs are a visual treat for me. I enjoy seeing them for the natural shades; so fresh, so happening.

I am sure, there are others too, who follow the same passion and have the same hobby. In fact, I still remember the time, when I had seen a tomato pop up in my own gallery I felt like an achiever for some precious days. I took my own time to pluck it from the plant and place it on the dining table. I didn’t consume it immediately. I admired it for almost half a day, then put it in my mouth like a piece of sweet. Trust me, the tomato did have amazing taste. This plant of tomato was a result of the drained water from washed vegetables. I am wondering, why hasn’t there been a repeat of the same phenomenon. But I have no regrets. At least there is someone, as special as Melisa turning this little moment of passion into a healthy phenomenon.

Melisa’s dedication is addictive. We should seek inspiration from her. Who knows in times of crisis, when we aren’t able to step out of our homes to shop for vegetables, the home garden may surprise us with its offerings! Some may argue that they don’t have a terrace or they don’t have a gallery or not even a proper veranda. Agreed! But, what’s the harm in trying! If we can make some space and turn it into a green zone. Trust me when you will see your effort gain fruition, you might also use the hashtag used by Melisa while ending our chat - #SoilSweatSweetness. Doesn’t that sound cool? I bet, it does.

- Virtuous Vociferous | May 15 | May Blog-1 | What If | DaysOfAmazingExperience | 2020