Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about cooking for others and the meaning behind the action. I don’t mean carving up a roast chicken for dinner guests around your table (although that also has its qualities), but meals that are made with care and delivered to someone in need.
It could be someone…
~ in bereavement
~ going through a divorce
~ caring for a new baby
~ moving house
~ fighting in court
~ ill or caring for the ill
~ on bed rest
~ out of work
~ overworked
~ writing exams
~ getting married
~ caring for a special needs family member
~ fighting a long term illness
~ in financial crisis
Think about it. Do you know anyone who is struggling with one of these life situations right now? I know I do. In fact, there are dishes rattling around in my trunk frequently because I’m often making a drop-off.
They say actions speak louder than words.
Two weeks after Mateo was born, I was hit with a nasty post-op infection and ordered to be on bed-rest. Yeah right. I had a two and a half-year-old and a newborn to care for.
Dear friends and neighbors came by with boxes of food, kind wishes and prayers; that sustained us during a particularly rough patch. The fact that they eliminated the need to cook allowed to me spend more time obeying the doctors orders.
Here’s what I wrote about receiving an apple cake :
“After the hospital food (which I barely survived), the cake tasted like the best thing I had ever eaten. I’ll never forget standing in my kitchen with Danny, eating it straight from the pan. It was as though we knew everything was going to be okay now. We have this cake.”
We could have brought home newborn triplets, and I would have felt fully equipped.”
There’s a lot to be said for the benefits of good, home cooked food when you are emotionally and physically low on reserves.
Have you ever received a meal during a difficult time from a well-meaning friend? How did it make you feel?
Have you ever brought a meal to someone in need? Cookies? How was it received?
I’m curious to know if this happens regularly. Please chime in and leave your thoughts.