Our well ran out of water this week.
Not low.
Dry.
The kind that changes every decision you make.
For the first day or two, I caught myself reaching for the faucet without thinking. My hand would turn the handle before my mind remembered there was nothing waiting on the other side. Laundry stayed in the basket. Dishes lingered in the sink. Then I realized I'd begun negotiating with the smallest parts of my day. Brushing my teeth. Flushing the toilet. Washing my face before bed. Things I'd done thousands of times without a second thought suddenly required a decision.
I never realized how many decisions water makes for me until it stopped making them. What surprised me wasn't the inconvenience. It was how completely I had stopped seeing something that had faithfully carried me through every ordinary day of my life. It never asked to be appreciated. I simply assumed it would always be there because it always had been.
Water was never the center of my day until it wasn't there.
That thought stayed with me long after the faucets began working again because I realized it wasn't really about water at all.
The things that carry our lives often disappear into the background. Not because they matter less, but because they've become woven into the fabric of our days. The spouse across the breakfast table. The child asking for one more story before bed. Parents whose voices have become so familiar we assume there will always be another conversation. Good health. Meaningful work. Even an ordinary Tuesday that feels exactly like the Tuesday before it.
We spend so much of our lives waiting for extraordinary moments that we overlook the ones quietly building our lives every single day.
It's strange how quickly the ordinary becomes extraordinary the moment we think we've lost it.
The water came back. The laundry got done. The dishes were washed. Life slipped back into its familiar rhythm almost as though nothing had happened.
But something had.
I'll never turn on a faucet quite the same way again.
Not because I'll be thinking about water.
Because I'll be thinking about everything else I've been fortunate enough to stop noticing.
Life has never promised us permanence.
Only change.
Maybe gratitude isn't found in life's biggest milestones after all. Maybe it's found in noticing today's ordinary gifts before tomorrow reminds us they were gifts all along.
Because the greatest mistake we make isn't forgetting to be grateful.
It's mistaking today's faithfulness for tomorrow's permanence.
Shrimp Scampi with Pearl Couscous & Lemon Herb Gremolata
Serves 4 to 6
Some recipes have earned the right to stay simple. Shrimp scampi is one of them. Butter, garlic, white wine, and lemon have been making shrimp taste extraordinary for generations. Pearl couscous gives the silky sauce something hearty to cling to, while a fresh lemon herb gremolata scattered over the top adds just enough brightness to make the whole dish unforgettable.
INGREDIENTS
Lemon Herb Gremolata
- ½ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Shrimp Scampi
- 2 cups pearl (Israeli) couscous
- 1½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 large shallot, finely minced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- ⅓ cup chicken stock
- Juice of 1 large lemon
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook pearl couscous in generously salted water according to package directions until tender. Drain well and set aside.
- Meanwhile, combine all the gremolata ingredients in a small bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Pat the shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook for about 1½ to 2 minutes per side, just until opaque. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add 4 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Stir in the shallot and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine and chicken stock. Simmer until reduced by about one third, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Add the cooked couscous and toss until every pearl is coated in the buttery sauce.
- Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Toss gently just until heated through.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoonW cold butter until melted and glossy.
- Transfer to a serving platter and spoon the lemon herb gremolata over the top.
- Serve immediately with warm crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
STORAGE
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Freeze: Not recommended, as the shrimp can become rubbery and the butter sauce may separate.
Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of chicken stock or white wine and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
