It's been a good long time since I've been active on "A Few Bites Back" but the thought of this spot has never been too far from my heart. As many of you know major life changes blew the dust off my brain and spirit over the summer. Although it was a storm that had long been brewing, the sheer gale force of it kept me in chaos and unable to write meaningfully for quite some time.
Thankfully, the muse of food is a constant companion. So as my spirit struggled to dig out from the emotional trappings of a divorce that was long overdue and the literal piles of papers filled with legalese, the writing of bits in my head never ceased. The absolute knowing that I would return to this writing has been a constant comfort, my own personal safety net.
In these thoughts dear ones, I have been acclimating to life in a new area of Seattle, an area a bit more homey that suits and soothes the parts of me which grew up in the small town of Spencer, West Virginia where, for better or worse, everyone pretty much really did know your name. West Seattle, my new neighborhood, ("West" does seem to be a theme here) although close to downtown Seattle, is a smaller, more friendly community where people take time to get to know their customers and neighbors. Since living here for six months, I have rediscovered some old friendships and have begun to build many new ones, for myself and the Kidlets. West Seattle is a peninsula so while we have an amazing view of downtown Seattle and the Space Needle from our new home, it feels like we live in a distinct little town and that provides this Mama with a feeling of warmth and security.
Along the way, I met The Farmer, someone who shares my aesthetic and practical love of food, as well as a passion for music, conversation, living and life. An afternoon spent at Theo Chocolate Factory sampling the many varieties of organic chocolate offerings was one of several outings we shared that made me think "I need to get back to my blog!"
There is a risk that food consumption can become pedestrian, even obligatory in the midst of such life-changing events. During times of emotional discomfort we eat to get by, we overeat to numb out, we don't eat because we grieve. But really, the rituals surrounding food anchor us to our SELVES and are key creature comforts, reminders that in the whirlwind of change, hurt, and uncertainty, our core is still the same, who we are is still the same. We may have faltered a bit, but our birthright is still there for the taking.
The first time I ventured back in to the kitchen to make a pot of chili in the Fall, my Mama mojo came back online, full force. It was as if my creative core had been rebooted. I began to write even more in my head. Making shrimp and grits for a Christmas party with my new neighbors and having that dish be the hit of the party, led to people seeking me out to get to know me and learn about how a gal from Spencer, West Virginia landed in Seattle. That first Christmas away from what I had known for 9 years was made right by a dish that took me back to my real roots and reminded me no matter where I land, it is always on my feet.
So I am not surprised I discovered in my new West Seattle PCC, Theo Salted and Almond Dark Chocolate bar. Like all Theo offerings, it is a premium, organic, Fair Trade chocolate bar, with just the right amount of almond bits and hints of salt to tease the tongue. But most wonderfully, upon discovering it, I was reminded of the last article I wrote for this blog, almost a year ago, about my love of chocolate, particularly dark with sea salt. I couldn't wait to get back to my writing and share with you my new discovery, my new life...my awakenings.
Much has changed, but dear ones, really it is true in spite of the massive upheaval that took me and the Kidlets out of Kansas so much has stayed steady: my wonderful community of friends both in real time and Facebook time...the outpouring of prayer that has sustained us, most assuredly that literally held me up and kept me on my feet...the enduring resilient spirit of my two brilliant children and chocolate. Chocolate which has been with me from my earliest memories, which is part of the fabric of my family and family stories, which even now brings me back to what I know...
My life is full and good...the love affair deepens...truly the more things change the more they stay the same...
More will most certainly be revealed...
