In fourth grade I missed Valentine’s Day at school because I was away with my family. I came home to terrible news. A boy in my class had brought flowers and chocolates for me to school that day. I was mortified. So what did I do? I never talked to that boy again. Valentine’s Day has never been the same since.
Sure, the general idea of the day is great, chocolate and homemade valentines are wonderful. Too often, though, the holiday seems to point out what is missing in our lives rather than celebrating what we have. Love is a large word. And though we love the fairy tale of romance in our society, love is so much more than an obligatory dozen roses (though, besides my fourth grade self, who doesn’t love flowers?).
Love has been described as a feeling, an action and even a decision. So much of life is about being with the people that we care about the most. But love is not easy and being brave enough to love means facing the inevitable loss that comes along with it. Whether your child is leaving for college, you are mourning the loss of a pet, or a friendship ends, the loss you are facing is real. Still, though, the loving part was worth it.
Where I am most comfortable talking about love is in relation to food. We all know the food that we truly love and cooking for people is an incredible way of showing your love. My father jokes that the way he shows his love is by putting another slice of meat on our sandwiches. We all know those people in our lives who show their love by the food that they share.
So what food do you love? And what food do you love to make or love to share with others? It could be your favorite homemade chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, delicious noodles from the place around the corner or a bag of sour patch kids, all are demonstrations of love.