Ever get slapped in the face by one of those sappy inspirational quotes at the end of someone’s email? How about the one that tries to lecture you about the virtues of waiting? It usually goes something like, "The longer you wait for something, the more you'll appreciate it when you get it. Because anything worth having is definitely worth waiting for." Blah, blah, blah...
I’ve seen it plastered on a dozen email signatures, and let me tell you, it’s never once made me stop and reflect on my life choices. I’ve always been more of a "see it, want it, buy it" kind of person. Amazon's one-click ordering and two-day shipping were practically designed for me.
Why wait when you can have it now, right?
Well, that was me until I encountered the one thing I couldn’t quite bring myself to buy for over two years—a pellet smoker grill. And guess what? Now I’m living that cheesy quote, and damn it, I have to admit, there’s some truth to it.
I finally caved, bought the grill, and now I’m like a kid on Christmas morning every time I fire it up.
Waiting for it? Totally worth it.
I’d been eyeballing these fancy pellet smoker grills every time I wandered into Lowe’s or Cabela’s, much to my wife’s eye-rolling dismay. I’d wax poetic about the benefits of perfectly regulated temperatures, the convenience of the built-in meat probe, and how it would basically turn me into a backyard BBQ GOD! I even became a full-blown pitchman to anyone unfortunate enough to pass by while I fondled these beauties in the store. The sales guys at the Colorado Stock Show practically knew me by name, because there I was every year, caressing their grills like they were some teenage crush.
I was obsessed.
Meanwhile, my buddies were out there living my dream, flaunting their own pellet grills and bombarding me with daily #FoodPorn pics of brisket and wings that looked like they’d been touched by the angels. I was over here, eating my sad little pan-fried chicken, internally debating whether this grill was a want or a need.
Spoiler: it was absolutely a want, but that didn’t stop me from tucking away a little cash every now and then, thumbing through that growing stack of twenties, wondering if this grill would be worth the sacrifice.
After two years of longing, I finally made the purchase. And with a resounding YES, I can say it was worth every agonizing second of waiting. I’m out there grilling every night now, cranking out food that tastes like it’s been kissed by heaven itself. I’ve gone deep down the rabbit hole of rubs and marinades on YouTube. And I’ve discovered a new addiction: spatchcocking. I’m a spatchcocking pro now. I spend my afternoons daydreaming about spatchcocking, eagerly counting the hours until I can spatchcock again.
My Instagram is blowing up with likes on my own food pics now, and the grill company even followed me, showcasing some of my meaty masterpieces! I’m positively glowing with happiness, and I can’t help but wonder if all this joy would’ve been diluted if I’d bought the grill on a whim.
So, maybe there’s something to be said for delayed gratification after all. So far, it’s proving to be the tastiest decision I’ve ever waited on.
Photography credit: Jeremy Padgett
