I finally have an assignment. I must write about that which I am passionate.
For me, this is easy … words. That’s right, I have a passion for words – to say them, to read them, and especially, to write them. I strive to find just the right one that perfectly conveys the message, the thought, the feeling, the idea.
Words are really powerful, and once used, they cannot be un-said or un-read; so they must be used with caution. Words teach me things and they help me to teach others what I have learned.
I bet you never thought that much about words, did you?
I say words a lot. I always have. When I was in elementary school, you would often find my name written on the chalkboard under the heading, Chatterboxes. I’m chatty, what can I say? I say words to empathize, to instruct, to vent, to disclose. I say a lot of words a lot of the time.
Reading words has been a passion since I was a little girl. My Dad likes to joke that I missed out on many family vacations because I had my head buried in a book. I read words to learn new things and for entertainment, and sometimes, I get so lost in them, I forget about everything else. Now I am reading the words in one hundred books in one year … and I am often lost in them.
I write words to express myself because people get bored always listening to my words … so I write them down instead. Writing words can convey feelings, memories, thoughts, ideas and sometimes it is scary to put yourself out there, kind of nakedly, for others to see. But, it’s a chance I’m willing to take.
I am passionate about words.
This post was written in application for Mabel's Labels BlogHer '10 Contest. If you would like to read about my panic-stricken anxiety attack following this application, click here for Crazy with Passion ... Check out some of the other entries ... click here
Don't you just love the word, catalyst? It is a uniquely spelled word, and it is fun to say, too. Catalyst. Dictionary.com defines it as a person or thing that precipitates an event or change. Matt Jones has been a catalyst for our family.
He and I have been through so many things together ... super excellent things and really, really bad things. But, we have done them together. Sometimes, we feed off each other - one's enthusiasm for something or, at times, a dislike for something. We make each other laugh, when laughing does not seem possible. We know when to give each other space to figure things out on our own. Wait ... only Jonesy knows how to do this. My approach is more to ask a number of questions until I know what the core of the issue is, and then I back off and let him figure it out on his own, while I secretly solve the problem in my own way. Occasionally, we teach each other things. We always support each other.
So, when Jonesy told me that he was going to eat only raw food for one month, I was cautiously supportive. Cautiously, because I immediately understood that this was not to be taken lightly. Food intake is important because it is the fuel that keeps our bodies running. And, if you do not get the proper nutrition, your body can suffer. My "cautious-ness" (if that is actually a word) stems from my need to control, mixed with my own personality. I am not a "fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants" kind of girl. I had not researched how to eat a raw diet and maintain a good level of health. I knew it could be done, but I did not know how; thus, the cautious-ness. But, guess what? Jonesy did an enormous amount of preparation, and he taught me how to do it.
I quickly learned, however, that I could not eat only raw food. I enjoy a number of foods in their raw state, but I also enjoy cooked food, too. Stir fries, hot lattes, cooked grains, pasta, muffins, cookies, granola - these are all things I must have in my life diet. I did enjoy some of the things Jonesy prepared, though; and we discovered some tasty new foods. But, we'll talk more about that later.
When he began his challenge on February 1st, I was acutely aware of what he was eating. Partially to make sure that he was eating enough, but also because I was interested in what he was putting together. I felt bad cooking food and then eating it in front of him. I felt guilty for making his favourites, like spaghetti or baking cookies. But, I got over it; because I had to. We, the kids and I, couldn't not eat. So, I just continued on with my normal Mommy business, knowing that it would just be for the month of February. But would it end there?
I could see it was difficult for him at times. Like when I baked or tried a new recipe. But he never complained or whined. Not once. I think we all know that I would have weeped on a regular basis. Of course, I cry over many things; but, let me assure you that if (by some miracle) Jonesy baked ooey-gooey chocolatey chip cookies and I could not have any .... I would have weeped. And whined. But not him ... he was tough and manly because whining is a sign of weakness of you are a boy. Maybe you didn't know that. He had some tough things to get through in February ... days associated with food ... that is cooked. Caiden's birthday cake, Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine's Day, two weeks of the Olympics with no chips and salsa ... honestly, I think he should have done it in March.
The only negative aspect of the whole experience was that we did not eat supper together anymore. I do not know if it was because it was difficult to watch the rest of eat pizza on Friday night, while he munched on his salad du jour; or, if his body was just on a different timetable. But whatever the reason, our family time at the supper table suffered and, for that reason alone, I did not like the raw experience. The kids - especially the girls - made note of the fact that their Daddy was not sitting at the table with us at supper time every night.
"When will Daddy eat supper with us again?" Marnie asked, a few nights at bedtime. "I like when we all sit together."
The most incredible thing happened, though. Because Jonesy made a change in his diet, many things changed in our household.
We all eat differently now. My children enjoy dried fruits regularly, different kinds of seeds, new grains; and, they are eager to try new foods. They ask for fruit for a snack. The other night after supper, instead asking for dessert (that is, something sweet/chocolatey), Caiden asked for a banana; which was followed by the girls each asking for a piece of fruit. My children have new-found energy, although I am not sure that is good thing ... I'll have to get back to you about that! I, too, have dramatically changed what I eat, thanks in part to Jonesy, the sugar-free cleanse I did in February and the new cookbook, Food Matters, by Mark Bittman.
We have discovered new foods that we love. For me, probably the most loved new food is King Mushrooms. I always loved mushrooms, but these mushrooms are so good. When slightly cooked, they become like silk in your mouth, almost melting. I have learned about different grains, like quinoa, and the flours they make ... like, kamut and spelt. Organic dried apricots and blueberries are new loves as well ... for me and the children. And, a recipe for salad dressing, made creamy by using avocado. Might make some for supper tonight ...
We organized our spices, and the cupboards, as I already told you about in an earlier post. We said goodbye to some things, and also purchased some new tools for the kitchen, like a salad spinner and the most perfect glass serving bowls; and we discovered Bernardin lids to turn some of the many unused (canning) jars we have in the basement, into storage containers.
Jonesy and I re-discovered our love of nuts. Pistachios, macademia, cashews, hazelnuts. Now, for you, these may be things you enjoy every day. But for us, because of Caiden's allergies, we have been terrified to have them in the house. Matt could not have gone raw without nuts, so he had to devise a way of having them in the house that we could feel comfortable with. The result is that we get to have nuts again, and I had forgotten how much I love them. Don't be afraid of nuts ... they are a healthy fat and can be part of weight-loss and healthful living.
The Bulkbarn. We discovered The Bulkbarn. I now make a separate grocery list for The Bulkbarn. Enough said.
From a personal standpoint, I feel so much better. I do not crave sugar and bread anymore. I do not feel weighted down anymore, or sluggish. I have energy to burn ... and maybe I'll actually exercise again! And, although I have not been trying to lose weight, an added bonus was discovered when I stepped on the scales. I have lost just shy of 10lbs in three weeks.
And, I read seven books; which has nothing to do with Jonesy or the raw diet. But, still, I did it in February.
So, February 2010 marked a month of great change in the Jones family. It is amazing how one seemingly small change can spark so many others. There is that word again ... catalyst. Jonesy is always trying to tell me that he is on the cutting edge of change ... perhaps he was right.
So, I bet you are wondering ... I know I was dying to know. What was the first cooked food Jonesy ate on March 1st? It was the homemade Granola ... it must have killing him when it was toasting in the oven!
Anyhow, I cannot wait to see what March brings. You know, I surmised what his challenge for February would be, before he announced it ... by the types of questions he would ask me, or things we would discuss, or the information he would share as he was learning. So this time, he has been very tight-lipped. No hints, no information shared. Other than, the challenge would take up one week of the month of March. I was really hoping that it would involve travel to a new country for March Break ... but he has assured me that is not the challenge. Well, there's always April, right?
He pulled into the parking lot and saw the line of waiting customers through the window. He hates waiting, but this was important. He grabbed the empty bottles from the trunk and took his place in line behind a chatty fellow.
"Guess we all had the same idea, at the same time," the man commented.
"Yeah ... it's like we all have something important to do this afternoon," Jonesy added. "At about three o'clock." The stranger chuckled and agreed. What they both knew was that the biggest game in Canadian hockey history was about to take place, and it would be almost impossible to enjoy without a nice cold beer. Plus, it might help to calm their nerves.
"I just came from the grocery store," the man shared. "People were wearing Team Canada hockey jersies, and high-fiving each other in the aisles. It was quite a scene."
Both men grabbed their box of beer, hesitated slightly, then decided to skip the high-five. Each knew how the other felt. We all felt the same.
Hockey pulls people together in our country; and not just during the Olympics, but every Saturday afternoon at arenas everywhere. Could you feel the excitement on Sunday? I thought our television was going to burst ... either with the pride exuding from athletes in Vancouver or from the anticipation of one of those hockey games that will go down in history. Hockey history.
And, the hockey game did not disappoint.
Have you ever hosted a really big party? Like, a huge party. The biggest party I have ever organized was my wedding. I imagine, it is the same for most people ... unless you are a party planner, which I think would be a super fun job. I had different coloured file folders for each aspect of my wedding ... the dress, the flowers, the food, and so on. Yes, every single person who knew about them, made fun of me. But I didn't care because I knew where every piece of information about my wedding could be located ... receipts, pick-up times, dates, etc. And, my wedding went off without one glitch ... except that we ran out of time for a receiving line, so I spent the reception trying to ensure that I thanked each and every person for joining in our celebration. But the most important thing was that everyone had a great time ... and I know this because people made comment about it for years. One time, a friend remarked that she wished she had known me when I got married because she had heard such great things about our wedding.
It seems as though Canada hosted a great party. I think people had fun in Vancouver and Whistler, and they will talk about their experiences at the 2010 Winter Games for some time to come. Memories were made, friendships developed, records broken. Canada hosted an unforgettable party. Celebrities were interviewed and had wonderful things to say about our country ... the atmosphere, the people, the beauty of it. The Canadian people were said to be friendly, and helpful; the support for their athletes and the pride for their country was something not seen before. The same passion and enthusiasm could be found throughout the city. And it was all done without flaunting heavy artillary and with a smile on our faces.
Makes you feel good to be Canadian, doesn't it?
I was thinking about our country. We have so many wonderful things in our vast land; things that we take for granted, I think. Our country borders on two different oceans; we have an incredible stretch of mountains; we have an astounding bounty of farm land, rich soil for producing the food we eat. We have a thriving beer industry ... huge corporations, but also many small award-winning microbreweries, like Walkerville, right here in Windsor. Don't forget about the wineries that can be found throughout Canada. Jonesy and I thought it would make a fun holiday to travel around to all the different microbreweries and wineries ... learning about the process as well as the areas in which these business thrive. Fishing industry. Theatres. French culture ... we are a country with two official languages. Are there any other countries who can boast that? I am sure there are many other things about Canada that I have forgotten on my list. But, I can assure you that, if you want to go on a vacation, there are wonderful places to visit right here in Canada. There is no reason to leave "home" ... just go exploring.
I hope that the visitors from around the world enjoyed getting to know Canada a little bit. And, I hope they enjoyed the hockey game, too.
I bet you never thought that much about words, did you?
