Friday, November 23, 2007

The Day After

Yes...I have survived another Thanksgiving holiday with my marvelous family and friends. We had a beautiful day that included dinner for 20. As a raw foodist, orchestrating a festive and appetizing menu for a guest list of cooked food eating carnivores was not a task I took lightly. The menu consisted of a combination of the best of both worlds....traditional Thanksgiving fare and the introduction, to the majority of my guests, of the beauty and health of raw foods. I guess it is good to know that my appliances still work and that I haven't lost my ability to produce gourmet cooked foods for a crowd when the occasion calls for such.

I won't be sharing my recipes in this entry, although I will get around to it. I just needed to blog my assessment of where I am today, in the aftermath of such a day as Thanksgiving. Preparing all of that food seemed excessive and I felt troubled as I was vigorously adhering to the traditions that my family has always observed. No one had a clue I was at odds with the whole affair, yet in my heart, I kept asking the question, "Will this be my last Thanksgiving to cook?" My family doesn't have a real concept of who I am or what I do as it relates to the whole raw food thing, nor do any of them seem to care. I am speaking in a broad sense because my immediate family..husband and children, get it because they live it with me on a daily basis. But parents, aunts, uncles, in-laws, etc. just look at me with a baffled look as though I am dabbling in some type of cult. Perhaps that is the reason I keep my diet so much on the down low...in an effort to simply not upset the balance of these family functions that seem to revolve around food, all cooked and always in excess.

So, through my personal discomforts of yesterday's activities, I think I've turned yet another corner. I have a great deal of acceptance and love towards my family and I am so very thankful for all they mean to me. It really doesn't matter to me if they understand or accept my diet/lifestyle. It really doesn't have to be a big deal. One or two days a year I can certainly compromise my diet and enjoy all the fun and love that flows through the crowd. (Albeit, I was popping digestive enzymes like a junkie). They need their cooked foods somehow...it completes the ambiance for them. They can see that I have made and continue to make personal changes that are having positive impact upon my health and my appearance. They can tell by my words that I am doing my homework as it relates to diet and health. I don't have to cram anything down anyones throat. If anyone wants to know more, they can ask me. That is just where I am with it all.

Yesterday made me proud to be a raw foodist. It made me realize how eating raw is so much kinder and gentler on my body, my kitchen and the resources around me. Washing raw dishes hardly requires soap. Yet today, I have pans that are soaking in my sink that may never come clean due to the residues of cooked, congealed foods. As troubled as I felt in the midst of a pipping hot kitchen yesterday, a sense of gentle peace and gratefulness has settled upon me today. My husband is waiting on me now....ready to start this day with a green power smoothie. Yes, I have much to be thankful for.

11 comments:

Jenny said...

Penni, your words and thoughts were beautiful, compassionate, and most of all, authentically YOU.
I felt your musings resonate for myself and others eating raw. . . and I was in awe of your acceptance, and understanding not only of where you are at personally, but where your family is as well. . .on their journeys.
Enjoy your well-deserved rest and recharging today. .. x Jenny

Anonymous said...

I am brand new to raw foods, twitter and blogging. I have not yet signed up for any of them yet but will. I live in Dallas, 38 yr old swf and need to lose weight. My name is 'blonde dove' aka Traci. I just wanted to tell you that I think you are precious! (and beautiful!) Your blog and twitters are encourging, enlightening and funny. Please keep them up! I try to read them daily as being so new to all of this they help me. Of course, I love all your recipes but still working on getting my kitchen set. Just wanted to say hello and thanks for your blog. Happy Holidays, Traci

Penni said...

Thank you, Jenny and Traci, for your kind words and for taking the time to read my blog. It is wonderful to know people actually tune in!

Traci, I hope you'll sign up on Twitter and become one of our little buddies. It's been more than I had ever expected in the way of support and friendships. My raw chums will help motivate and encourage you on your quest to lose weight. I have some ideas for you as well, if you're ever interested. You can always email me directly at realfood.tulsa@yahoo.com

Much love...
Penni

Dhrumil said...

So well said. Thank you kindly for sharing. I know a lot of people will be able to related to this.

Anonymous said...

Penni, your blog was thoughtful and sincere like you, I love when u say yr relatives are baffled and may think u have joined a cult! That is crazy funny, it had me laughing out loud. I so relate to having to cook and balancing that with eating raw, I am in that situation. You handle it with grace. Love ya! Dea xoxo

Fresh said...

Great post, I totally related. I made your pumpkin soup and it turned out great. I was proud to share it with my cooked family and it was fun to see their delight!

jessica said...

what a wonderful, honest post. enjoyed it with a smile. always good to get back on track.

Anonymous said...

dear penni

i admire your ability to find a balance. i'm going home to tulsa for christmas. tulsa is definitely a SAD town! people i think are generally supportive and curious. but i'm definitely a little 'eccentric' there :)

thanks for the blog...

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for posting this! I just returned from Houston and my first Thanksgiving since going raw. I actually weigh a pound less than I did before I left on Wednesday. If I had not made a salad, there would have been nothing raw at all to eat. I did nibble on some cooked foods and enjoyed some pecan pie, but I basically starved from Wednesday through Saturday. Funny thing is, the family knew I was on a raw diet. I'm learning more and more that you really have to explain what that means. For instance, the family made spinach and cheese tamales for ME. Also thought that all the canned vegetables that were in the cooked food also fit in with my diet. Anyway, I'm home now and have been binging like crazy on nuts, fruit and a raw harvest sandwich made from dehydrated raw bread and raw yams, sunflower seeds, apples, squash, celery, carrots, bell peppers and a coconut curry sauce. Can't wait to have my green drink tomorrow! Sigh ... I love the family but it's good to be home.

Anonymous said...

Hi Penni!!!

WOW!!! I echo all the words of the other commentors. You are AMAZING!! I have a very dear friend with the same name(with a y) and she too is a raw foodist (In Florida). You two may have connected already (she is the editor of Pear Magazine). I just called her and left her a message about your Thanksgiving entry and the comments. I will beging a 21 day raw food challenge on December 1st so I will be visiting your blog for support and inspiration. Thank you for sharing your world. Peace, Tee Jenkins jaat817@yahoo.com

Penni said...

Hi Tee...Thank you for your words. I am so excited to hear about your 21 days challenge, I do hope you'll keep me posted on your progress.

AND, believe it or not, Penny, your raw Florida friend and I chatted a bit today. I am considering attending Hippocrates Institute early in 2008 and we were comparing notes.

Take care and stay in touch!
xo....Penni