41 responses to “An essence of our life”

1. Dear Björn,

   We have gone too far with salt, haven’t we? Although I think lifestyle factors into a lot of our health issues. And then there are the other things we do to what used to be considered food.
   One note, I think you mean reckon not recon. (Spell check is not your friend. )

   Thought provoking piece.

   • Shalom,

     Rochelle 😉

   • Thank you – spell check is dangerous indeed 😉

     • I’ve had a few unfortunate experiences with it myself. 😉

2. Dear Bjorn,

   We are creatures of salt, with bodies 94% saltwater. We are tied to that ancient mineral by more than history. You said it all well in your rumination on the subject. Good job.

   Aloha,

   Doug

   • Whoa! 94%?

     I think maybe a jellyfish is 94% water!

3. Bjorn, Well written and informative piece. Very interesting. 🙂 —Susan

4. Really very good insight, Bjorn. A piece like this is very interesting.

5. Essays are good too once in a while. This makes me think not just of salt but of the many spices that were once such hot commodities wars were fought over them.

6. Salt was such an important discovery in the history of the human race, and one that doesn’t rely on electricity to preserve food, but of course humans being humans, we got a bit greedy with it and are feeling the effects!
   Nice essay, it had a lovely poetic feel

7. The more things change, the more they stay the same. I think there are few things that completely bad/evil. This is a case in point. I enjoyed the way you wrapped up your piece.

   janet

8. I liked this thoughtful essay Bjorn. Life would be tasteless without a pinch of salt.

9. I think this is lovely and it makes me think more carefully about sharing food and the rituals around that.
   (Does surgeons need a possessive apostrophe somewhere?)

   • Indeed — an apostrophe is dearly needed.

10. A very reflective piece – enjoyed this.

11. Salt gets a bad press. I’m all for a sprinkle of sea salt on my food.

12. Bjorn, have you read Salt by Mark Kurlansky? There is an entire chapter on the Hanseatic league and cod.

    This is a well thought out piece. Nicely done.

    • I have not read the book, but it’s so deeply rooted in our recipes and traditions… without salt we would have died.

13. Our bodies are made of salt; we need it for so many things… thankfully the seas have plenty! I really enjoyed your “essay,” story, thoughts. They took me to an interesting place, somewhere between history and myth.

14. I like the historical path you took here. Very cool! 🙂

15. when i was in bulgaria, i was often offered bread and salt as a guest. great tradition they have there.

16. Yeah, Bjorn, I’m all for salt,especially when I’m pouring it over French Fries and the like. I understand my blood pressure is at a level the stock market would envy, but hey, I like the stuff! Thanks for your thoughtful piece.

17. That’s deep. (And I love salt, too!)
    I loved your line, “he difference between what’s brackish and the sea.” Tasty! Mmmmwah!

18. Splendid, Bjorn. I don’t think it read as short essay. It’s quite colorful, and reflective. We take salt for granted, and assume it does so much harm. We would be in trouble without it.

19. A nice reminder that salt wasn’t always the “scourge of our health” that it’s thought of today.
    I still like a sprinkle of salt on my food, I don’t care what the doctors say 🙂

20. Very nicely done! thinking back through history, salt was always a sign of wealth – the word Salary is derived from it, I believe.

21. A very reflective piece Bjorn that brings to focus that in this modern age, we sometimes lose sight of things

22. Ah so true and actually it flowed so nicely, almost like a free verse. The salt damages our cars in winter, yet not enough on sidewalks to break my falls:)

23. It’s funny the things men come to value. I wonder if the days will come when salt will replace the direct deposit. It is an interesting speculation.

24. I enjoyed your piece. Salt, sodium is a necessary electrolyte. If one were to stop all salt (is that even possible ?), including packaged food, a heart attack would be only moments away. Our cells require certain minerals and sodium chloride is an important one. Very well written, by the way. Lucy

25. Wonderful information.

26. Salt does not get the respect it well deserves anymore. But WE are at fault on that. Great piece, makes one think.

27. Yes, wars were fought over salt. I heard the other day on the news that salt is not now considered as deadly as sugar.

28. It’s lyrical truth. Makes me think about value and such on a sunny Sat. morning. Very nice.

    Lily

29. Bjorn, great take on the picture prompt! I believe “worth your weight in salt” was meant to be a compliment” always. Really, this is very touching Bjorn.
    Nan 🙂

30. outstanding piece, Björn. it was a pleasure to read your take on the photo.

31. The greatest Man who ever lived once said, “You are the salt of the earth.” There are over thousands of uses for salt. Imagine that! I’m partial to sea and kosher salt. I learning to cook a lot. 🙂
    Very nicely done, Bjorn!

32. We definitely take salt for granted these days, where the problem is always having too much. Great thoughts; I really enjoyed it.

33. It’s like anything else. It must be kept in balance. Too little is death, but so is too much. We live in a time of too much.

34. This brings back to me memory of an Arabian Nights tale about two brothers who inherited two ships from their father; one filled with gold and the other salt. One brother took the gold and left the younger one with the salt, thinking it useless. When both brothers fell in love with the same woman, and she declared she would marry the one who provided more value to her people, the younger brother won her hand by so enhancing the flavor of their food with salt, they could not stop eating.

    Love how words like yours bring back those powerful tales and memories. 🙂

    • I had forgotten this one, such a long time since I wrote it… 🙂

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