It has been quite an eventful year, with more international headlines than any year I can remember. I witnessed the horrors of a tsunami and reminded myself that indeed giant tidal waves are no longer the stuff of science fiction, gawked a royal wedding, rallied with the cries for a more just government in Cairo, sympathized with the anger at corporate greed but still wondering what they hope to gain, worried as country after country in Europe suffer crippling fiscal demands, entertained at the bumbling circus of Republican presidential candidates, stood incredulous at the news that the world's #1 terrorist has been captured and killed, excited like watching a high speed chase through the felling of another dictator, and felt a tinge of relief with growing uneasiness that a megalomaniac dictator has died only to leave an unstable country in the hands of his inexperienced progeny. Yes, indeed, it has been a milestone of a year for the world, all of this happening amidst one of the calmest years of my life.
Calm in the sense that there is very little drama, but not that nothing happened. I've indulged my self in cooking and baking, poring over cookbooks and recipes, watching with rapt attention the pervasive food shows on television, working on my knife skills, pushing my creativity with unfamiliar ingredients and new techniques for old favorites, kneading and rolling dough, learning how to bake without kneading or fussing with dough, and discovering the joy of tasting it all. Also, I've delved deeper into organic vegan cuisine by successfully growing a tomato plant (yes, singular), better understanding why it is so important to buy organic, and grimaced at how dairy leeches calcium from our bones. Notably, one of my favorite new recipe discoveries is a simple dish of burnt eggplant with tahini, which makes me think of what new vegetables I can char that exponentially improves its flavor.
I'm happy to report that I still have a roof over my head, a full (and happy) belly, warm clothes on my back, a soft bed, computers with which to write my blog, and electricity. I am very lucky, much luckier than a lot of others who are struggling to get their basic needs met in this economic recession. I do not have these worries from day-to-day, although I am watchful of my dwindling savings.
I'm thankful for all that I have, and for all that I can give. I shall continue with my volunteer work helping to feed the hungry for it gives so much purpose to my life. In the last week, inspired by a truly generous fellow volunteer, I decided to make an appointment with the local Red Cross to give blood. Although I was sent away due to my low levels of hemoglobin (due to a slight iron deficiency), the resolve to temporarily suspend my extreme phobia of needles and to stop hoarding my own blood has taught me to be more generous this coming year.
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