Comfort Food

I sent this email out to a lot of my clients and thought that it was important enough to share here. Some of my recent readings have reminded just how hard the holidays can be for some of us. Many of us have experienced a loss that we feel that much more acutely around the holidays. For some of us , this will be the first Christmas without someone really really important. One of the things I've been reminded of is to tell you to celebrate anyway. Skipping Christmas can be good in theory but lets be honest..it's still Christmas, and I've never heard a word of encouragement from the other side to skip Christmas. So I'm going to encourage you to feel your feelings, honour them as best you can, and have Christmas anyway.

One way that one of my clients from the other side suggested to me this morning was this: "if you want to feel close to me, bake my recipe for shortbread cookies". It was a simple yet profound suggestion that reminded me of the obvious. When we feel the absence of someone who was known to do time in the kitchen, one of the best ways we can feel close to them is to eat their recipes.

For anyone who cooks, you know that food is a major way to love someone. So please, think about the person you are missing and think about their favorite foods (even if they didn't cook and only liked to eat) then dig out the recipe that they loved. Then I want you to make it. Gather your family and/or friends and eat it.

For those of you who are lucky enough to have your families in tact and on the planet, please, take time to look at each of them in the eyes and tell them how they have touched your life even if they are an enormous pain in the ass!

Happy Holidays Everyone!
Angie Aristone