Food Is Love
I have more love to give than I know what to do with. There are days when I’m frustrated and hurt because I have no proper outlet for it. And, there are days when I feel incredibly alone because I’m receiving little if none at all. I don’t always show it in obvious ways. You won’t find me posting quotes or poetry on a Facebook wall, misusing (and wearing out) those 8 (eight) letters and 3 (three) words. I am happiest when I’m in the kitchen proving my worth and showing my love in salt. To me, food is love.
To the employees at the Laurelhurst Whole Foods on Burnside and 28th in Portland, OR I owe you a thank you. I was having a rotten day…a migraine, impending birthday and lonely heart. Because of you, on this day, I felt loved. The individual at the deli meat counter, thank you for having a twisted sense of humor that snapped me out of my funk. You didn’t need to add those extra slices of turkey pastrami to my order but with cheese and crackers over lunch at my new job, giving me fuel to get through the second half of the day…I felt loved. The individual at the meat counter, thank you for helping me pick out a steak and being mindful of my budget, offering to season it and taking the time to make sure I knew how to properly prepare it. I had it for dinner the following evening along with fresh corn on the cob and with each bite…I felt loved. The individual that helped me at check-out, you were at the end of your shift on your ‘Friday’. When my total grocery bill was a bit more than currently in my checking account, you didn’t need to take $3.00 off but you did, you took care of me and…I felt loved.
I want all three of you to know it was paid forward, and I intend to keep paying it forward. An inspiring co-worker (out of the goodness of his heart) has started (once a month) putting together sandwiches and passing them out to the homeless downtown. Per a suggestion, he added in bottled water and bananas and I came up with the idea to throw some homemade cookies into the mix.
I didn’t grow up with a great deal of money but what we lacked in greens we made up for in love. Sure, Oreos would have been the more popular food to have in my lunch sack but honestly, I’d take my mother’s homemade oatmeal cookies any day. I figure that when you are feeling ignored and alone, a few bites of a homemade cookie might just make you feel that you actually do matter. Because, to me, food is love.
Honey Maid: Love