Words

words

I feel as though an update is in order.  Today, as I begin this post, it has been many weeks since I last sat down to write.  During this whole time, words have been swirling through my head.  Words that I hope will provide some kind of light on this unknown path.

After my parents’ deaths, I began to reflect on what I hope will influence the rest of my life.  Things like generosity, trust, empathy, joy, and grace.  And each day, I have made a point of taking a few moments to consciously affirm these intentions…to myself and to the Universe.  And while I think they all are equally important, two have been in the forefront of my mind recently – opportunity and surrender.

I know that I have missed out on seeing many opportunities because I have been too focused on being in control.  Of discussions.  Of situations.  Of people.  And if I would only pull back and surrender that need to control the world around me, so many more opportunities would present themselves.  So while that’s been knocking around in my head, the Universe has indeed given me chances to put words into action.

I have been presented with opportunities to practice surrender.  And what I find interesting is the different ways in which each one achieves that.  I see them as ways to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new.  Something that I may or may not end up being good at.  But that will allow me to stretch and grow and redefine how I see myself…both in and out of the kitchen.  I will be sharing those experiences with you here and promise that regardless of the bumps in this road, I’m still here cooking.

It’s hard to go back to writing about butter and sugar and bacon in such a lighthearted way after all of the turmoil that I have felt and still feel.  But there are words to say and recipes to share.

Mango Salad with Seared Tuna

Mango Salad with Seared Tuna

Who came up with idea for the word leitmotif? I like words.  Alot.  But that one, in particular, always confused me.  Of course learning that it is derived from the German leiten (to lead) and motiv (motive), it makes perfect sense.  But I failed miserably at German I in college (I thought switching from French to German was a good idea because?) so without the help of Mr. Merriam Webster, I would have still been in the dark about that one.

Have you noticed any of the themes that run through my kitchen?  There are several leitmotifs hiding here at BAH.  Fast and Easy are probably the most obvious.  But if you poke around enough, you’ll see that I often try variations on a recipe.  So today I present you with another tuna experiment. Continue reading “Mango Salad with Seared Tuna”