My mother-in-law, who is from Poland, said to me last Christmas after I gave her a Christmas card and gift that she thought I did not celebrate Christmas. I was shocked. I didn’t understand why she would say that, especially after us knowing each other for so long. I been married to her son at that point for 10 years. When I took my thoughts to my journal and started writing about it, I released why she may have gotten that impression.
Back in the day during Christmas, my entire family would gather to my house in Queens, NY. Cousins, aunts, and uncles would come from Long Island, England, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia to spend time with everyone and grandma. Grandma basically stayed in her room on the top floor most of the time because the stairs were hard on her. You know a bit of her story from my book, You Can Afford to be Healthy. Those were good times. No Christmas since her passing has been the same for me. Each Christmas has felt somewhat empty without her. She to me was the reason for Christmas. It was a celebration of the matriarch. Now the matriarch is gone. How does one celebrate?
Christmas does not look and feel the same as my childhood, but it is ok to start new traditions that are full of warmth and love. Good food does that. I feel love when my husband is in the kitchen making food for us. I trust his food because I know he cares about quality and seasoning. It’s always good and always healthy and many times includes medicinal foods like burdock and dandelion.
I wish this type of care and skill for every kitchen in America but it’s not possible if healthy foods aren’t accessible. Help us change that.
A food desert is an area that lacks access to foods that make for a healthy diet such as affordable fruits and vegetables.
Click this link to learn how you can help support a grassroots solution to food deserts.
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