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. Don'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!