“Right this way” she said.
Uh oh. I couldn’t back down now. The hostess took us to a booth in the corner with a candle lit right in the center. Everything was perfect until I opened the menu. All I saw was sushi, the one food I had always told myself I would never eat. I looked over at Austin hoping that he would read my mind but I had promised, I promised him that I would try his favorite food. I ordered a spicy California roll, whatever that is, anticipating what seaweed and raw fish would taste like.
When the sushi finally came, I told myself that I would just pretend to like it, I didn’t want to ruin our perfect date. I picked it up with my chopsticks, took one bite, and…..to my surprise, I actually liked it. I looked over at his brown eyes, glistening with satisfaction as he said “told you so”.
Although trying a new food may not seem like a big deal, I realized something much greater in that moment. We all go into new situations with preconceived ideas and thoughts about what we will encounter. For me, I anticipated the taste of saltwater overwhelming my taste buds. Instead, I got to experience my new favorite food and spend time with a person who always inspires me to try new things. That night all of ideas about stepping out of my comfort zone were transformed. To this day, I love taking risks and having new experiences. All it took was one person and one plate of sushi.
-Ava Welch