The day that changed everything
Caution: Deep share ahead…a delicious one if I do say so myself.
One of the places I feel most in my heart is the kitchen, cooking for others. I feel like I was born to explore the culinary experience. I love feeding people and I love to get creative in doing so. As a young girl, one of my favorite memories is when I was a Girl Guide and we learned how to make grilled cheese sandwiches on an empty coffee can heated by a votive candle. That was the day that changed everything. My love for cooking, especially outdoors, was born and I haven’t looked back.
Julia Child in the making?
I discovered my love of crafting creative appetizers as a latch-key kid home alone after school. I would take Triscuits, a small slice of cheddar, a piece of kielbasa, and a dab of bbq sauce and put it in the microwave, and make myself a little platter of after school “apps”. I would put them on a plate and present them in a beautiful way, maybe with some grapes, apples, or herbs. I would pretend to have my own cooking show while I waited for my mum to get home from work. To say my imagination was sparked is an understatement.
Cooking connects me to me first, then to others
Cooking comforts me. It energizes me. To cook something that is simply delicious is practically intoxicating for me. I feel alive!
I am influenced by a number of amazing cooks in my life, some family members, some friends, and, of course, some incredible thought leaders in the world of food.
From grilled cheese sandwiches, I moved on to bigger and more complex dishes like my mother’s lasagne and her curried chicken. These are recipes I still make today. I feel close to her when I cook these dishes, thinking of her showing me how to put it all together. My step-mother is also a great cook and she has generously shared her love of cooking with me and I feel fortunate to be able to share some of her dishes with the people in my immediate circles.
Food unites us in a shared human experience. Sitting at a table with others over food is one of the best parts of living in my opinion. Even if it’s a grilled cheese sandwich, there is something so powerfully nostalgic about eating something simple.
A beautiful act of service
For me, cooking for others is one of my greatest acts of service. It connects me instantly to one of my purposes in life, for I believe you can have more than one purpose that drives you on the path to real happiness.
Here’s the thing: I didn’t consider part of my life’s purpose until very recently as I dove into my work as a Life Purpose Coach. In learning how to support others in their own version of meaning, I began to realize how many times I have felt a real euphoria cooking for others. Now, while I don’t cook for a living, I do enjoy it tremendously and feel aligned with the calls of my heart when I do it. When I cook for others, I am aware of the impact it has. I am equally aware that I am radiating LOVE in each dish.
Which activities bring you the most joy?
I invite you to consider which activities make your heart beat faster and help you feel like you were “born to” do it. This exploration and awareness is a beautiful way to begin living more intentionally with purpose. There’s bliss in where you feel most at home or be most of service to others.
Gotta go. Time for lunch. Today’s menu is a focused vegan effort. I love finding ways to eat healthily… but maybe I’ll follow it up with some chocolate. Shhh! Don’t tell! 🙂
Photo: My mother’s curried chicken. Ok, now I’m drooling.
