Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

Pickles are an interesting phenomenon. While I haven’t done an exhaustive study on their origin, I believe they all come from cucumbers searching for some spice in their lives. To this end, there is a plethora of pickle tastes, shapes, and sizes at any reputable supermarket.

Dill, sandwich, sweet, sweet and sour, kosher, whole, sliced horizontally, sliced vertically: have you ever considered that pickles are like a microcosm of human beings.

Some are so strong as to be enjoyed in small doses, others are so mild that they are welcome at any meal. Yet, both enhance the occasion. Just like people you probably know. Some are straight and narrow, others rather skewed. Some have strong religious affiliations; others don’t.

If pickle companies can highlight their products’ differences and make a profit, could there be a moral lesson here for the rest of our country?