“I am on gravy time…” said a father to his son in a movie I saw recently. He was trying to share how he felt about having just a little time left in his life.
The phrase “ride the gravy train” unexpectedly pops into my mind – it is used to refer to a situation in which someone can make a lot of money for very little effort. So even in this context, the gravy clearly is the good stuff. In both cases the gravy seems to somehow be the best part of life. The pan drippings that has all the good stuff in a western context or all the masala and spicy part which adds the zing to any dish in an Indian curry.
As I come to the tail end of my holiday time with son, it has begun to feel like I am on gravy time with him for this trip. A hug on the water front, sharing a cappuccino Icecream cone, fighting about stupid stuff and meandering through cobbled streets this was the real treat. Being together and spending quality time with each other is the gravy of life. The big stuff happens, there is good and bad that has to be navigated but the blessing of family time is what makes it all taste good.
It got me thinking about the the main ingredients of life and the role of gravy. I guess it depends one how one looks at at. The gravy is often the tastiest part of a dish. On the other hand without the main ingredient just the gravy is not always satisfying. A chicken curry without the chicken does not feel satisfying neither does just the chicken sans gravy to add the spice and taste that elevates it.
What is making me think about all of this? I’m not sure. Maybe it is because I realise that the amount of time I get to spend with my son is going to be much less as he begins his life’s adventures. “Don’t worry have chicken curry” is probably the best advice to follow. I am going to enjoy my gravy time and ensure I get every last tasty drop. And then it will be time for the next adventure that life will dish out.
The context defines the content. This is such an important lesson for a communicator to remember. The context in which I heard the phrase “I am on gravy time” was the movie where the father was sad about time running out. My mental meanderings about all the good stuff that I squeezed out of the few weeks of son time shift the context and from this view point “it’s gravy time” could also mean it’s time for the good stuff. All this thinking about gravy for me to google gravy phrases and I found “it’s all gravy” (another gravy reference used by the US navy to mean it’s all good).
Country western singer Kacey Musgraves’ “Biscuits” lyrics seem to be the perfect gravy note to end on. “I’ve never gotten taller making someone else feel small. If you ain’t got nothing nice to say don’t say nothing at all….Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy”
Go make some gravy of life today.
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Nikhil Dey is Executive Director, Adfactors PR.
A trusted coaching and communications professional, Nikhil Dey is a certified life and leadership coach (International Coach Federation - ICF). Nurturing talent and helping clients achieve their goals is what makes him happy. He loves learning from students of communication, teaching courses and guest lecturing at various educational institutions. When he is not working you will find him on the tennis court or out for long walks with his family and four legged friends.
Previously he has held senior leadership positions at Weber Shandwick and Genesis BCW.
He can be reached on twitter @deydreaming
A trusted coaching and communications professional, Nikhil Dey is a certified life and leadership coach (International Coach Federation - ICF). Nurturing talent and helping clients achieve their goals is what makes him happy. He loves learning from students of communication, teaching courses and guest lecturing at various educational institutions. When he is not working you will find him on the tennis court or out for long walks with his family and four legged friends.
Previously he has held senior leadership positions at Weber Shandwick and Genesis BCW.
He can be reached on twitter @deydreaming
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