What a beautiful day! I’m currently attending a breakfast event with the locals of the country I’m living in now. The best thing is the conversation. I took my plate and sat down at an available table. There are small serving plates with salt, sugar, coffee cream, etc. on each table. I needed some salt. I reached out my hand and took the tiny package that lacked the label “suiker” (sugar). I sprinkled it on the menemen (Turkish scrambled eggs), and had a chat with the guests. Then I had some menemen. What was that! There was something wrong. It shouldn’t be like that. After having another piece, I realized the mistake I made. When I looked at the package I just used, I noticed that it says “zoet”, not “zout” on it. While “zout” means salt, “zoet” means sweet in Dutch. Just one letter was enough to change the course of my breakfast that day.
Of course, I didn’t waste that plate. I finished my sweet menemen and boiled egg, and even my cheese, which was relatively affected with this situation. While I was eating, I made a journey to my inner world. I contemplated for a while, and made a self-accounting. I pondered how a mere few grams of sugar could make it arduous for me to complete a breakfast dish, whereas it would have enhanced the taste of a cup of tea.
When used correctly, a sweet substance can be invaluable, but it can ruin a dish if used improperly. As I contemplated this, I remembered the wise words of Master Bediüzzaman: “It is essential for everything you say to be true, but it is not always appropriate to express the truth.” Regardless of how sweet and true a statement may be, it can cause discord if used at the wrong time and in the wrong way.
At times, we unintentionally hurt others with our words and then wonder if we said something wrong. However, it doesn’t work that way, as this incident reminded me. We often believe that sugar can enhance the taste of anything, but in the case of menemen, it failed to do so. Perhaps, if it was served separately with a bitter component, it could have added flavor. But it wasn’t the appropriate time or place for it. Instead, it ruined my appetite and impaired my sense of taste.
Just as the salt and sugar ratio is crucial in food, a balance of sweet and bitter words is necessary for the soul. Although we may have good intentions and wish to say kind and accurate things, it’s essential to consider the timing, place, and dosage of our words. Otherwise, their effect may diminish. In such cases, it’s better to remain silent.
That day, I also learned that making mistakes is not always negative. Sometimes, we need to experience things to understand the truth. From now on, I must be more attentive when adding something to my plate and read the package more carefully. A single letter can alter a lot.
