“My home is your home”, a saying that came from the Spanish language. If we think about it, it makes a lot of sense. We only bring people into our homes that we see as family, or important to us. We invite others in mostly because we have a common interest with them. That interest starts over something small and then grows into a bond. It could be something as small as quaint dinner party or you were invited to one of your friend’s house for a party. We meet new people and gravitate towards those that we can form a bond with. Often times we are guided to those that are similar to us but then we can meet people with different views than our own in which can open our eyes to new experiences if we are open to them. Then they become family.
I tried to sleep tonight, and I started thinking about a new blog idea. Of course, my mind was all over the place, but I got to thinking that when I invite someone over to my house, its’ a big deal. That is a huge gesture because I am inviting that person into my life, not just into my home my safe & secure world. Think about what that means for a moment. I believe it means I am comfortable with you and want to start some sort of a relationship with you. If I meet you out to dinner that is also quite personal as well. There is something to be said about having people in your home and eating your food. I will say this time and time again, it is not necessarily what you prepare for people to eat but what is said at the table. It is these bonding moments that we remember.
I was thinking tonight as Hans was making a new dish for us to eat for dinner. Technically not a new dish but one he had not made before and that was lo mein. He has wanted to learn how to make a lo mein for about a week now. Hans is very creative in the kitchen, he doesn’t like to waste food, so we will often times try to make two or three meals from a crockpot dinner or even one meal in itself. Hans decides where we are home tonight that he will throw in the teriyaki chicken from last night with the lo mein noodles & vegetables he has prepared. The dinner was okay. His effort was amazing, and the idea was fantastic but there were a few things that we both agreed needed to be tweaked with the recipe. For his first shot at making lo mein he did a great job!
There were a couple of things that occurred to me when he was making this dinner and when we ate dinner together. One was that our friend Erik stopped by to say he had gotten his motorcycle up and running. I am happy that he stopped by because we hadn’t seen him in a couple weeks and the three of us discussed the dish Hans was preparing but we also again connected on many different levels as we discussed what was going on in our lives. That is so important. Which is why I will continue to say that food is a metaphor or rather an avenue that gets us to start talking/ having conversations.
Erik didn’t stay for dinner, which I was bummed because it would have been nice to continue the conversation with him. I find him quite interesting, because he is the one friend that I have known almost as long as Hans has but that we both have quite a bit in common with. Erik also has a different way of looking things. As I get older and hopefully mature I look to those that had a different upbringing and have partaken in different experiences so that I can learn from them. That is one of the reasons that Hans and I get along so well is that he has such a diverse group of friends. I truly do enjoy meeting them and hearing their stories. You can learn a lot about a person from their stories.
After Erik left, dinner was done shortly thereafter. I had been chatting with Hans throughout his cooking process, we discussed our days. That’s when it kind of hit me. I was upset about some things that had happened and a bit stressed. The week before the 4th of July is always stressful at work and the week after. I had my car in the shop to have what I thought would be just a normal service and state inspection. Of course, there was something else going on. I just felt kind of like a failure. Hans reminded me that I am an amazing human being. He told me he loved me, my family & friends love me, I am accomplished, and I have a lot going for me. He also told me how intelligent I am and that anyone would be happy to have me in their life. That’s when I realized, I needed to hear that for one and two I was so lucky to have this person as my boyfriend and in my life!
Another thing that hit me later on this evening is that everyone struggles, some more than others but we all struggle. It is how we overcome these struggles that define us not the struggles themselves. We learn to lean on those that matter most to us and confide in them our deepest fears and secrets. We may look like we have it all together on social media but a lot of us are just trying to find our way in this world, hanging on some days. It is important to be kind to one another. Also, to know that there are people out there that love and care about you. When we invited you over, we expect that you take us up on that offer. I can’t tell you how much it means to me to be invited to someone’s house and eat the food they have prepared for me. I hope there are more people like Erik that just stop by on a whim to say “hello” because sometimes he does stay for dinner. I do mean it when I say Mi casa es su Casa.
I hope you are able to take something away from this or are able to pass this along to someone that is possibly having a rough day.
From my kitchen to yours,
Marissa
Turn The Eat Up! 