I’ve been kicking around the idea of writing something for awhile now. Like, 20 years awhile. I love writing when it’s something I want to write about, for people I want to write to. The “something” was the sticky part – what would I write?

Someone suggested I write a children’s book. Could be fun, but it didn’t feel right.

I consume novels by the truckload, so I gave that a half-hearted toe-dip. Sadly, that felt too much like work.

But should one of my two-legged or four-legged kids do something amusing, or more often, I do something that makes me look ridiculous, the words just seem to flow right out of my brain through my fingers and into my Facebook post. My goal isn’t to say, “hey! look at me and what I’m doing.” In fact, I hardly EVER want to draw attention to myself. My goal is to say, “this happened, and maybe it can bring you a smile, or maybe you can use our experience to avoid some difficulty or otherwise enhance your own life.”

And since the nature of Facebook is social, sometimes my post sparks conversation and connection. And therein, for me, lies the magic. When I write something that resonates with someone else, something that makes someone want to respond, to reach out, to feel less alone, to smile with me, that is the sweet spot.

And so, here we are: I’m writing and you’re reading. I’ll be writing about things that feed my soul, because I’m guessing some of it might also feed yours. And I hope you’ll respond, reach out, feel community, and smile. And if not, what’s the worst that can happen? I just keep writing because it feels good to me to do it. And that’s OK.

Can I eat that?

Suspiciously, many of the things that feed my soul also feed my stomach. I love food (and drink). And I really love sharing food with my people. But it’s gotta be good food. Which, for me, means real food – fewer things that have been processed beyond recognition, and more things that look like what your great-grandma used to eat. But maybe blended in a fresh, new, delicious way.

For me, this also means not all the things your great-grandma used to eat, because my body now vehemently rejects gluten in all forms. (But maybe great-grandma’s wheat, barley, and rye would have been acceptable, in contrast to today’s crops. I do wonder…) And one of my kids has a whole slew of additional dietary restrictions. My kitchen is entirely gluten-free, but much of what I do is also dairy-free, nut-free, shellfish-free, paleo, low-FODMAP, or AIP.

So when I gather people I love around my table to feed their bellies and their souls, I aim to offer food that leaves no one out. I hope you find some things here that will feed your people, too.

This calls for a party!

If you’re gonna go through all the time and effort required to make good food – from the sourcing of quality ingredients to the prepping to the cooking or baking – you might as well share it. I fervently believe it is worth the time and effort, even just for yourself. I’m sure you’ve heard of self-care? It’s a thing. It’s a worthwhile thing. But sharing a meal, a snack, dessert, or a drink takes it to a whole ‘nother level.

I identify as a social introvert. To me, that means that while I need some alone time, I also absolutely require quality time with my chosen people. And once I’m with my chosen people, the activity is really beside the point. In fact, my favorite times usually don’t involve a structured activity; happy hour for me means drinks and snacks on the patio with my BFF, discussing current events or the emotional rollercoaster of parenting or how the heck did we get to this place in life or look at the beautiful bloom this succulent finally produced!

And if there is something to celebrate, let’s celebrate it! Invite a few friends over to mark a milestone. Or host the family holiday gathering. Or sing happy birthday to a Golden Retriever (that post is coming soon).

p.s. there is always something to celebrate. I know sometimes life is super sucky. I promise I will never spout cliches at you about how all your problems will go away if only you have a positive attitude. They won’t. Attitude matters, don’t get me wrong. But it is not the absolute solution to every problem – or it hasn’t been for me, anyway. Amidst the colossal suck, however, there is some small victory worth celebrating. Those little victories can hide, so you gotta look for ’em. Let’s celebrate ALL of them.