Introduction
I
am struck by the impact that food has; it serves as a conduit that brings us together in good times and in bad. There is a reason that food is always central at celebratory events marking birthday and wedding milestones, and also at times of sadness, acknowledging the transition from one life to another: it is because we are building community. We are connecting with one another. Sitting down for a meal together nourishes the whole person. This simple act allows us to share in the full spectrum of human emotions. It is easy to become disconnected as we move through the frenzy of day-to-day life. Cooking with family and friends unites us through our shared experiences and the enduring legacy of heritage. I have come to view food as a great equalizer. Making a dish and sharing it with the people you love—or with a perfect stranger—is a universal concept that transcends race, ethnicity, gender, language, culture, and socio-economics. “I’m concerned that Americans are losing that place of meeting. There are very few times we can be more intimate as to share food together.” – Maya Angelou
Staff potlucks, bake sales, and luncheons are gatherings that connect us beyond department mission statements and daily work tasks. These communal food experiences are as important to sustaining our common mission as our policies and procedures. That is why cooking is so important. Not gourmet cooking, not Food Network caliber cooking, but simple cooking that we can share with one another while we talk about the day’s challenges, fears and anxieties, joys and successes. We all have busy work lives, and the struggle to strike a healthy balance is challenging. Taking the time to share a meal with a coworker or organizing a potluck is an act of self-care, as it strengthens our feelings of community, our bonds of service, and our sense of hope.
4
