Tradition.

There are few things I know for sure these days.  There are few things that survive from one decade to the next - who am I kidding-- from one year to the next.  I know this: unless something completely hinders us, we will be eating at Coney Island in Capitol Hill every Saturday til Jesus comes.  Its something we have done for a couple of years now, and we all look forward to it.  I enjoy a coney (or two...) with no onions, funyuns and a piece of bakalava. Every week. My kids and my husband may have Greek Spaghetti or a Frito Chili Pie or a coney, like me, because they're the best in town.  The food is so good and so right every time, but that's not the only reason we go.  Is there a person (at least one) in your life that loves everyone and shows absolutely no prejudice, ever? 

The lady running Coney Island is one of those people.  So many patrons from so many walks of life speaking different languages, born in different decades, wearing different shoes, wearing different hats -- all of the folks that  come in to eat, all of them hear her say "hello! its so good to see you! thank you so much for coming in!" and she's sincere. She is so happy to see all of her friends - all of her 'kids' no matter how old they are (and the little ones get suckers).  She smiles the whole time, every time. I want to stop and hug her, but when there is a line of hungry people all the way to the door every week, I feel like I might just be in her way.  You should go meet her. We all need something consistent in our lives. We all need more bakalava.  We all need more love.