National Day of Reflection

Today is the Day of Reflection and I have been doing much of that lately. The past six months have included travel, holidays, and kicking around ideas of things I might want to do in this latest chapter of my life. I keep coming back to food and the power of food. The energy it has to recreate memories, bring people together, bring pleasure and joy, and heal. To connect people and cultures, to educate and celebrate.

I had an epiphany a few weeks ago when I made a meal for a friend I knew was struggling. That meal meant a lot to that friend and her gratefulness was heartfelt, but that wasn't what made me reflect on the value of home cooking. I realized that I helped in some primal way, not just in the act of giving. I provided a family with sustenance, relieved stress on the caregiver, and provided familial bonding for that one family over the food they enjoyed.

Cooking and baking for me is a form of self-care. I am mindful when I do food preparation and it helps me to expand my own community. One of my challenges after leaving a professional career of decades is social isolation and lack of purpose. I believe I have found it in culinary coaching, sharing my passion for food and cooking with others while continuing to create community with the meals I make.

We should all reflect on what we really love and what is truly important to us. It helped give me the impetus to move forward after a long stall. Look for more opportunities to cook and learn at www.gumboculinarycoaching.com.

I am looking forward to a weekend full of cooking for friends facing loss and health challenges. For me, these will be moments of connection and creating a more positive overall well-being. There is so much power in food, I look forward to sharing that with you.