wellness

Leave a comment September 5, 2020 knj9167

When I was a kid I had three ideas of what I wanted to be when I grew up:

Broadway Dancer
Fashion Designer
Chef

I stopped dancing (competitively) when I was 14. I think the timing was poor and I was only slightly above average in talent. It was the same year that my parents split and while I don’t blame them for my dance career ending, I think it was just the straw that broke the camels back. It was a difficult time in my life, I was lost & confused. I didn’t feel like I had any sense of direction in my life. I associate dance with joy and there was no longer joy, so I hung up my shoes. (secretly I still sing & dance as if I’m on broadway when no one is home or watching)

I’ve always been a doodler. I took Art classes from the time I was in kindergarten through my senior year of high school. As far as style goes, I was never the most fashionable. Yes, I’m a 90’s kid, I don’t think most of us were. But, I found myself doodling the most extravagant outfits, I think I can remember as early as the fourth grade. I was also the gal, post shower, wearing my towel as the most gorgeous evening gown for some swanky party. Sometimes I’d even grab a second towel & create an elegant two-piece ensemble. I took AP art in high school and we had to submit our portfolios to the College for Creative Studies to receive a collegiate art credit. When I expressed my desire to attend CCS one day my teacher told me I would never make it into art school with my portfolio. I mean who am I kidding? Looking back my portfolio probably was half assed which I procrastinated and waited until the last minute to complete all my pieces. That “dream” went south real quick.

Chef… This is one I never seriously pursued & I’m not entirely sure why, but I was always in the kitchen growing up. I think it probably started with eggs in a coffee cup in the microwave. My parents worked odd hours. Nurses & firefighters don’t have the “luxury” 9-5 job (not sure if I would consider it luxury or 9-5 anymore). We had to be self sufficient & ate plenty of leftovers. Egg in a cup is just where it started and led me to always want to be in the kitchen & help with both of my parents. I am extremely lucky that both of my parents are fantastic cooks (I believe I’ve mentioned this before). I would do anything for a home cooked meal right now.

Leftovers in our house were a staple, but not always the kind where you reheat exactly what you had the night before. My parents were creative & innovative. They taught us how to love all foods (we’re not picky eaters). Steak one night turned into Phillies the next or even chili. Chicken one night was a stew or a pot pie the following. No food ever went to waste in our home. The running joke with my dad is “you gonna finish that?”.

Food was a source of happiness in our home. I saw how much food brought our family together, whether it was a family dinner or a big holiday party. The food my parents made brought people so much joy & that’s what I craved. I wanted to bring people together. I wanted to bring people joy & make them smile. That’s not the initial life path I took, but isn’t it ironic thats where fate has brought me? I may not be some fancy culinary chef working for a five star restaurant, but I’m using creativity & nutritional knowledge I have to help bring joy back into people’s lives.

It’s merely the beginning of my journey. One year ago today, I launched my website. I had no idea until just about a minute ago when I looked. FATE. Cheers to one year of business, I am so excited to see where this journey takes me.