Is it any wonder that once the waves of chaos receded, I pulled out some cookbooks and began to bake. I felt the stresses of the week and my mental to-do list fade away as I got lost in the kneading of dough, the slicing of apples, and the smells of cake and baguettes drifting through the house.
What is it about food, not just the eating of it, but the chopping, mixing, and cooking, that has such a meditative effect on us? The psychologist in me has a few theories: it's the ultimate way of caring for the body and (given our lifelong conditioning) the soul; it requires some level of focus, which by default means we're mindful, rather than thinking about the to-do list, or yesterday's bills; it slows us down; enables us to be creative, productive, methodical. For me, the real reward comes from choosing to do something that takes me out of my head for a while and into my body and my senses. Even better, it's an activity that isn't a have to. It's not like I was rushing to finish the evening meal (although I could have easily sat down to a plate of cake for dinner!) And I shared it, allowing others to enjoy what I had made. What better way to channel a week of stress into something really positive, with the people I love?
No comments:
Post a Comment