The Newness of it All

I love cooking. Love it, love it, love it.  I could spend an entire day in my kitchen and never get tired of it.  I used to never cook unless absolutely necessary (things like making oatmeal, coffee, rice, the occasional chicken tenderloin that I would dip in pre-bought sauce). Then, a couple years ago, I got the idea I should probably learn my way around a kitchen.  (Getting married probably had something to do with that.) 

Looking back, I didn’t just switch overnight from hating the kitchen to loving it.  I had to try lots of different things.  I had to burn a lot of stuff, and have some really weird food that we decided to never make again.  (Tilapia stew, anyone?)   But I kept going.  I kept learning.  I kept stretching out to try new foods and new ingredients.  And now, after a couple years, I’ve really learned how to cook.  All that preparation means that now, I can spend a couple hours in the kitchen and be proud of it!  :)  Why would the rest of my life be any different?  

I did not get married and immediately become the perfect wife.  I had to figure that out along the way.  I’m still learning, and I still have so much to learn.  

I did not pick up a pen and immediately write a 100-page story.  I had to learn how to hold a pen.  I had to learn how to write my alphabet.  I had to learn to read.  I had to learn how to type.  I had to learn how to write a story.  My first hundred weren’t good.  But I kept going…  I knew that every story I wrote was going to be better than the one before it. 

There’s something to be said for pursuing something no matter how hard it is.  The newness of it all wears off after about the first week, and then you just have to keep practicing.  But it’s worth it.  Incredibly so!  This is something I’ve had to learn over and over again this past year.  I want to be done with the practicing and the learning!  I just want to DO what my heart is passionate about!  But I’m also realizing that if I jump right into something without the preparation and time invested, I’m going to fall flat on my face.  Probably end up with lots of bruises in the meantime. 

So I’m enjoying the journey – loving every chance I have to try something new – fighting ahead for the chance to keep learning and growing and writing.  And I’m baking coconut bread while I’m at it.   Everything is better with something tasty to enjoy along the way.