Savor Every Sandwich

The Enthusiast by Brad Montague Status: Reader-Supported Publication Date: September 22, 2026

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In October 2002, the legendary Warren Zevon sat down for an interview on The Late Show with David Letterman.

While Zevon was a frequent guest over the years, this particular visit carried a heavy weight: he was in the final stages of a battle with terminal cancer.

(A quick side note: my apologies to Dave, as the imagery here makes him look a bit like David Letterman Richard Nixon.)

What could have been a morbid or unsettling encounter transformed into something profoundly compelling. Their conversation spanned the spectrum of the human experience:

• The craft of music
• The bonds of family
• The inevitability of death

It was a rare blend of beauty, humanity, humor, and raw emotion. One specific exchange has resonated with me almost daily since I first saw it:

Dave: "From your perspective now, do you know something about life and death that maybe I don’t know now?"

Warren: "Not unless I know how much... how much you’re supposed to enjoy every sandwich."

Zevon was reminding us to cherish the mundane: the taste of a sandwich, the joy of playing music with friends, or the simple act of spending time with children.

The Path to Realization

My recent obsession with this moment was triggered by a sequence of events:

While waiting during a layover after a speaking engagement, I sat in the terminal eating. It occurred to me that Zevon might not have been suggesting that every single sandwich is actually delicious.

I realized that the goal isn't to maintain a facade that everything is wonderful. Sometimes, things are simply not what we hoped they would be.

Lately, amidst a sea of positives but plagued by challenges and uncertainty, I had lost sight of the point.

Twenty-four years ago, a dying rock star shared a quirky, funny piece of wisdom on TV. Last week, while eating a mediocre airport sandwich, I think I finally understood the math of it:

$\text{Presence} = \frac{\text{Current Moment}}{\text{Expectations}}$

The Daily Checklist for Living:

• Acknowledge the uncertainty.
• Accept the "bad sandwich" moments.
• Be here, right now.

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Community Discussion

Jennifer (2 days ago): "Take a bite. You’re here." That phrase is going to stay with me for a long time, alongside all your other wonderful reminders.

Brad Montague: (Liked)

Linda Lochridge Hoenigsberg (2 days ago): Wow, Brad.

Brad Montague: (Liked)

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