“Every human has four endowments - self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change.” ~Stephen Covey
Very recently, there was a poignant comment left on one of the recipes here on the site by a precious lady, one which touched me so deeply and filled my heart with tremendous gratitude...
She described how she's been having a lot of success with the first recipe she tried from our site; and because of that, she then came back and tried many more, and found herself cooking almost exclusively from The Cozy Apron for the past month.
She mentioned in the comment that in the past a typical family meal usually consisted of either fast food, frozen entrees, take out, or something basically thrown together just to make a quick meal. She also shared that she was “OK” at cooking, learning as she went according to some “easy” recipes she often finds on-line.
What touched me most was when she mentioned that since she had begun preparing the recipes she found here, she and her family had become “healthier and happier because of it”, and how very glad she was for that.
When I read her comment to myself, I immediately realized that I had to share it with Michael, my husband and partner on The Cozy Apron; and when I read her words aloud to him, we both ended up getting so choked up that we sobbed!
We were so incredibly touched to have been invited to this family's dinner time experience; and we felt so blessed that our intentions for our site had been so beautifully received and passed on.
What a gift this lovely woman had given to us through the sharing of her experience so openly, and what a gift she had given to her family with wholesome nourishment, nurture and love.
And the more I thought about her comment, the more I realized that her words represented something even deeper...
Growth and change for the good begins to occur when one chooses betterment, and once that sweet fruit is tasted, there's no going back.
What she shared represented a conscious decision for betterment, the kind that would require some work on her part, and some stepping out of her comfort zone to accomplish.
This wife and mother realized that there could be a better way, a better way to feed her family, a better way to gather them together around their table, a better way to connect to them, and ultimately, a better way to demonstrate her love so that they all could, indeed, be “happier and healthier”.
Somewhere along the line she decided she would try a new approach to dinner time, push her boundaries, stretch herself and her cooking ability, and even invest a bit more of herself into something she deemed important.
She felt this in her beingness, and chose to listen to that voice and heed its urging. What she ended up finding was something magical, and good.
You know, there's something truly special that happens when one chooses a better way. I've witnessed it in my own life, and have seen it play out in other's lives as well.
There is an empowerment that takes place after those first uncertain “baby steps” are taken in the direction of betterment, a strength from within that rises up because one begins to discover something new that one never imagined.
A person realizes that a sort of resiliency comes in when an effort is put forth towards an endeavor that raises the quality of life, and brings in more joy, more color, more light, more life.
Growth and change for the good begins to occur when one chooses betterment, and once that sweet fruit is tasted, there's no going back.
And this is what her comment ultimately represented to me: someone choosing a better way, even though it required more in some ways; but the “more” faded into the background because the focus became all about the positive effects that resulted.
The truth is, there is always room for betterment.
There's always room to up the ante when it comes to love, to choosing our words, to improving our personal environment, and to coming together more closely.
There's always room to make the quality of the time we spend together a little better, a bit more meaningful, and a touch richer.
When we choose betterment it requires a commitment from us, and an acceptance of the fact that we will need to go a bit further, put in a little extra; but the results of those efforts help to create a quality of life that nothing can compare to.
So I'd like to take my queue from the precious woman who so deeply inspired me with her comment, and her commitment to the well-being of her family.
May we all have the courage to choose a better way, to make our lives more meaningful, and taste the best that life has to offer us.
Taste what's good and pass it on.
Ingrid
“From The Heart” is a space for me to share some of my more personal thoughts on life. Here you'll find my reflections on my own inner/spiritual journey; on being a wife and mother; on being a creative; and general observations, pretty much whatever is on my mind.
I whole-heartedly believe that sharing "from the heart" with one another is what connects us, heals us, and inspires us! Glad you're here...
Lynda Rice
Thank you Ingrid! The response you shared of that woman’s experience was very much inspiring! May I be as bold to step out! Again, thank you for sharing this woman’s heart.
The Cozy Apron
My pleasure! I’m so very glad you were as inspired as I was with her lovely desire. ♥️ Thanks so much for sharing!