Something to Celebrate

Among all the wonderful things that I enjoyed during our Christmas vist with family in Colorado this year, I took some quiet sweet pride, and celebration of an accomplishment on December 27, the day that marked five years of a very high raw diet for me. It was nice to have that anniversary where it all started just after Christmas, 2006. And it was nice to reflect a bit on how my life has changed since then. Certainly I am more slim, healthy, and energetic. Certainly my kitchen has been entirely rearranged by now. And certainly I have quite a repertoire of recipes to experiment with, share, and enjoy.

At a somewhat deeper level, though, my identity has changed. Because relatively few people in my life are raw foodists, or, for that matter, vegetarians, I have become known in my family and social circles as the raw food one. The good news about that is that people allow for my preference when we’re going to a restaurant together, or in the case of the holidays and other festive celebrations, know that I will bring something to eat for the meal, and sometimes take the time and trouble to make something especially to accomodate my diet and lifestyle. (At one family celebration recently, I madea new recipe for sweet potatoes to bring to share. It was a wonderful surprise to see that the daughterwho was hosting the meal had made the exact same recipe! It was lots of fun!)

It’s nice to be acknowledged and taken care of in that way. Everybody likes having their wants and needs attended to. The point I am making here, however, is that the more my identity grows into this “raw foodist” one, the more people become more aware and experimental with positive dietary changes in their own life.

Yesterday, we attended the local Bike Club’s Annual New Year’s Day Ride and Chili Lunch. I brought a large kale salad to share, and was quite gratified (amazed, really) when several of the very serious bikers were helping themselves to large portions of it, all the while engaging me in conversation regarding its contents, nutritive value, and the like. No more reticence to try something raw that I witnessed five years ago. People were genuinely eager to see what I had concocted for the occasion and dove right into it.

For me, this having been able to introduce so many people in my family, workplace, Church, and social groups about the best possible way on earth to eat is really something to celebrate!

Happy 2012, everyone! May it be filled with lots of good food, plenty of good health, and the blessings of good relationships.