Cooking up Care

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“When I was a nanny for a special needs child, it changed the way I viewed the world!” – Angela Suitor

Cooking up Care

“Thanks for your patience and help!”  The woman, a stranger, standing with me at the counter said.

I didn’t know her name at the time.  She just happened to be in the Le Creuset store when I arrived.  Since we shared an interest in high quality cookware, our ability to engage in conversation seemed to evolve naturally.  It’s something I’ve come to expect and enjoy during my regular visits to this culinary haven in Park City.  And on this occasion for good reason, because this interaction was about to become a unique learning opportunity.

I was talking with this new acquaintance, Krista Parkinson, about the wonderful features of Le Creuset’s newer line of hardened, nonstick cookware, just before she was ready to purchase a couple of enamel-coated-cast-iron pieces.  Krista’s only expressed complaint about her selected items was their heft.  Those of you who have used cast iron for cooking understand the advantage and also the disadvantage of its heavy weight.  Such weight can be a huge burden at times.  Especially for a chef of slight-build like Krista.  And, being a thoughtful person, she was also feeling some angst about taking so long to make her final decision, while talking with Angela Suitor, the staff Le Creuset specialist and me about some suggested alternatives.  That’s why she thanked us for our patience.

Then Krista continued, “I was once in a grocery store in Los Angeles (her home city) when a woman behind me, while checking out, responded to my heartfelt thanks for patience with, ‘I used to be an impatient person, right up to the time I became the mother of two special needs children. Having them in my life gave me new insight into the human experience!  My children taught me to focus on people, not all the trivia.’”

Angela then enhanced our conversation with, “When I was a nanny for a special needs child, it changed the way I viewed the world!”

As Angela spoke, I glanced between the two women, watching their eyes connect through understanding.  They knew a lot more about heft than a singular reference to cast iron.  They understood the weight of human burden and how to help lift it.  And, particularly about the burdens carried by others around us, without our knowing.  This shared understanding, confirmed through the light of eyes, created an instant, deeper bond between us.

“Thanks for your patience and help!”  The woman, Krista Parkinson, standing with Angela Suitor and me at the counter said.

I didn’t know her name at the time.  She just happened to be in the Le Creuset store when I arrived.  Now I knew that we shared an interest in high quality cookware and an understanding that everyone around us is, often times, experiencing extraordinary emotional weight and worry that is often unknown to us.  So, our ability to engage in conversation seemed to evolve naturally.  It’s something, that I didn’t expect when I arrived at this culinary haven in Park City. 

That’s because, on this occasion, our interaction wasn’t just about gourmet cookware, it was about sharing insight into the human experience!  A shared understanding, confirmed through the light of eyes, about being conscious of cooking up a renewed focus on lifting the burdens of everyone around us.

First Tracks

An anonymous snow angel

First Tracks

 Early, in the dark of the morning, I looked out of the window to see gently falling snow.  It had been snowing much of the night, so it had created quite a pile.

“I’d love to go out there and create a snow angel in the fresh snow!”  I said to myself as I hurried through my morning routine.

I was hurried because of my full calendar for the day.  There was little room to dawdle!

I knew that I’d have to leave earlier than I normally would on a clear road day, because of the icy road conditions created by the newly fallen snow.  So, I jumped into my car, giving myself an extra hour for travel and drove down my driveway, making first tracks in the snow, knowing that at the end of the day, well into darkness, I’d need to clear the snow after a long day of toil.

I spent the entire day and evening working and felt lucky that I had given myself the extra time in the morning.  The traffic was snarled the whole way into Salt Lake City as a result of the icy, slick roads.  And now, at the end of my business day, the roads were clear of both snow and traffic.  I snuggled into my car seat, touched the start button, and began my uneventful trek home.

Upon arrival at my driveway I expected to see my first tracks in the driven snow.  I wanted to try to follow them in, so as to make the removal of the snow easier, since there would be less packed ice to struggle with.  I looked through my windshield carefully to spot my early tracks and was astonished as the headlights of my car lit up a completely clear path!

“Wow!  I guess someone else wanted to create a snow angel today!” I said as I felt a deep gratitude for my unknown snow angel.

Early, in the dark of the morning, I looked gratefully out of the window to see gently falling snow.  It had been snowing much of the night, so it had created quite a pile.

“I’d love to go out there and create a snow angel in the fresh snow!”  I said to myself as I hurried through my morning routine.  Now it was just past evening and into the night.

“I wonder who my snow angel is?”  I thought to myself as I pulled into my garage after easily wending my way up the drive.  “I can still become a snow angel! I’ll go out and become one myself!”

Thank you for being my snow angel!  I hope you are reading this.  You’ve made first tracks into my heart.

Nothing to Lose

“I feel as if I received a little piece of me that was missing.” – Tanya Beall

Nothing to Lose

The snow was falling outside of my car window as I drove along UT-224 to attend a holiday celebration with a large number of collogues.  It was dark enough outside and the road was icy enough that many people would be worried about the possibility of losing something, if not everything of importance to them; especially the chance of losing their life.  But, not me!

“Money falling from the sky!”  I said audibly to myself as I slowed and took a turn onto Ute Blvd. into the area many of us refer to “New Town.”

The blustery weather had lightened my mood; not that it needed to be boosted any more, as I was already excited to spend time with affable and cheery friends.  After all, the vast majority of us had enjoyed a profitable year.  Now, the great increase of snow made the prospects of a very lucrative winter almost palpable.  The combination caused my heart to seemingly push through my chest as I pulled into a parking stall and opened the car door to walk across the pavement to join my friends in the designated restaurant.

As soon as I walked through the glass door two of my friends greeted me warmly with open arms and warm smiles.

“How could the evening get any better than this?”  I thought to myself as I walked further into the crowded eatery.  Little did I know then, that it was about to get a lot better as a result of an unexpected conversation with my friend Tanya Beall.

Sometimes life’s most important moments come as a complete surprise.  And, on this occasion, Tanya gave me two such surprises.  The first was our mutual amazement to see each other that evening.  The second, was Tanya’s heartwarming telling of her astonishing, story of self-discovery.

“I met my biological father a few months ago!” Tanya said to me as we stood talking together, tucked away at the edge of a serving table.

“I didn’t know you were adopted!”  I replied.

“I wasn’t.”  She continued.  “The only father I knew was my dad.  He raised me since I was very small.  But, I always felt as if I was missing a tiny piece of myself.  My mom had always told me I had another biological father, but my dad was so great, that I didn’t feel as if I needed anyone else.  Then a couple of years ago friends and family began to encourage me search for my father.  I was afraid!”

Who wouldn’t be? 

By this time, I was completely entranced and couldn’t wait to hear the rest of her story.

She went on to tell me that one of her friends did the work of finding her father and his contact information.

“It was the hardest call I’ve ever made!”  Tanya said.

It was so hard that she got cold feet.  That’s when her Dad said, “What have you go to lose?  Whatever happens you’ll still have me!”

That was all she needed to hear.  She made the call.  She and her Father talked.  They met.  They spent time together with his extended family in a grand process of unification.

“It was wonderful!”  Tanya said as her eyes glistened with moisture.

Moist snow was still falling outside while Tanya and I conversed and enjoyed a holiday celebration with a large number of collogues.  It was dark enough outside, but Tanya’s eyes and heart were radiating brightness throughout the restaurant.

“Many people would be worried about the possibility of losing something, if not everything of importance to them, if they called an estranged relative to seek a new, expanded relationship,” I thought to myself as she finished her tale; but, not Tanya!”

My eyes glanced outdoors, toward the sparkle of snow, glinting as a result of the light of the bright lamps, lighting the sidewalk outside and I realized that it had begun to mimic the effervesce of Tanya’s eyes, right in front of me, as she said, “I feel as if I received a little piece of me that was missing.”

“Love falling from the sky!”  I said audibly to myself as Tanya and I finished our conversation and parted to go converse with others.

Thank goodness for the love of two fathers who encouraged their one, brave daughter to reach beyond her fear of loss!  The depth of their love created elevated familial love, able to grow much deeper, just as the snow falling that night was piling deep atop the Wasatch Mountains embracing us.