Why is it that food such a focal point in life? Stop and think about it for a moment, you may be surprised to realize how instrumental a part food plays in life. It’s your shoulder to cry on, it fosters relationships, enables connections between unlikely comrades, it is crucial in times of celebration and as I recently found out, it is absolutely vital in times of distress. Because when we are distressed, we bake.
Why is it that food such a source of comfort? We all know that food has been present through the ages. Since the beginning of time it has been there to nourish and sustain life. And, like the creatures on this earth it has evolved along with us. From birth, human beings are taught to rely on food - a crying baby will have their troubles soothed through the breast of its Mother. It seems to me the idea of food as a comfort mechanism is instilled within us from a young age. Food takes us away from our worries, and for a few glorious seconds it makes us forget.
I recently found out the power of food to alleviate gloom when a family friend passed. When we found out, mum and I headed to the kitchen to bake for the family – there was something oddly therapeutic about it. Maybe it was the act of making something from scratch – of using our hands to release emotion. Or maybe it was the fact that by creating something we could possibly bring joy to another person, to contribute to the betterment of a situation.
This was particularly seen during WWI and II when worried mothers, daughters and lovers sent care packages containing homemade cookies and cakes to their loved ones abroad. This was their way of helping the war effort – not only did it make them feel like they were contributing to the betterment of a bleak situation, by giving soldiers a little taste of home it boosted morale and reminded them who they were fighting for.
Like the care packages sent to war-torn countries, our baking had the same affect and unsurprisingly we weren’t the only people that had baked. We all sat around the kitchen table where we ate, talked, laughed, and reconnected. The circumstances were the same, but for a brief moment in time we were able to put the sadness to the side and just be happy.
No, our baking didn’t change the world. It didn’t stop imminent disasters, and it didn’t make the reality of the situation any less unpleasant but it served its purpose. It comforted, it bridged lost relationships and most importantly it brought small smiles to the faces of those who needed it most.
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