Sunday, December 6, 2009

Water Off A Duck's Back


My husband is a gem! He is my rock and the one person in my world that knows me better than I even know myself. He always knows exactly what I need to hear and has broad shoulders to help me carry all the burdens I put on myself. I never knew love until I met Mark. He shows me each and every day what 'unconditional love' is really all about.

Mark doesn't cook, or clean the house. D
on't get me wrong, he will gladly help with those chores if I need him to, but I consider those the smallest of things I can do for him for everything he does for me. An example of how astounding he is to me is the fact that no matter what kind of situation I get myself into, he knows just what to say.

The past few days have been a real challenge. The email debacle a few days ago kinda knocked me off my game. Not the fact it got sent to me; in fact I wrote an email back to the person who sent it and told her there was no reason for me to forgive her, because she was just being herself and I accepted her for who she is. I told her I had no right to tell her who she could talk or write to and who she could not. I really felt at peace about what I wrote. And I allowed Mark to read it to before sending it to make sure it came across with the love I intended. He had no problem with it. (And believe me, he would certainly have told me if he did!)

The next day, I received a scathing email back from her. She totally misunderstood my intention and twisted around my words. Needless to say, I was hurt. I re-read my letter to her and still I didn't see how she could have miss-interpreted my intention. Last night, I went to bed confused and upset, not knowing what I needed to do next.

This morning I woke up with one thought on my mind. Something my very sweet, wise husband told me. "Be a duck, and let it all roll off your back". So today, each time I started to think about it and get upset again, I reminded myself to be a duck. (quack, quack).

It occurs to me that some people just cannot accept who they are. When they come across a trait that does not fit into their belief system or which they have a tough time with, instead of dealing with it, they ignore it or try to dis-associate with it, even to the extent of pushing it off as someone else's problem. I can look at it from a clear point of view now, and I see that is how most people handle what they perceive as a weakness in their own lives. I totally understand this because it wasn't that far in the past where I did the same exact thing!

Now, I think I'll follow my genius husband's advise and just quack a lot!

TODAY'S RECIPE:

Eggplant Sorrento

1/4 Lb.Baked Tofu (or I just use any veggies I have handy and leave out the tofu completely!)
1 Onion, chopped
1 Green Pepper, chopped
8 Ozs Tomato Sauce
1 C Water
1 1/2 Tsps Oregano, crushed
1/2 Tsp Basil, crushed
1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Tsp Cumin Powder
1 Eggplant, cut into 1" pieces
8 Ozs Spaghetti

1. Brown tofu in a stockpot over high heat. (or if using veggies, skip to step 2 and include them all in the sauteing process)

2. Add onion and green bell pepper. Saute over high heat until onions are soft and just turning brown. (use a little red or white wine to saute, or vegetable broth)

3. Add tomato sauce, water, oregano, basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and cumin.

4. Cook over medium-low heat.

5. Add eggplant to stockpot; cover and cook over low heat 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Meanwhile, prepare spaghetti according to the package directions; drain and stir into kettle just before serving. (I use whole wheat, brown rice, or corn spaghetti)

Serves 4

Add more seasonings to taste. I added more red pepper flakes for a snappier flavor. ENJOY!







2 comments:

  1. Quack quack-that's my cell phone ring and yes we all know and 'love' exactly who you are dealing with-distance works every time.....

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  2. LOVE IT... QUAAAAKK QUUUUAKKK!!! Let it ROLL OFF the back.. ahhhh...* You said it so Beautifully Pat. Thanks for sharing!! XO...Madison

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