The Bonds that Hold Us Together

Food has always been the one "vice" the family on both sides of my parents enjoy. We all love to eat good food. We all try to cook good food and We love cooking for other people. Personally, I find cooking therapeutic and stress-relieving, much like Komikasi's upcoming mobile game, Starstruck.

Yesterday, my dad and I found ourselves bonding over food. He cooked Roast beef in wine for lunch, and as we chowed down on it, he asked how I was doing in my ministry. Something that rarely happens. I shared with him how things were picking up, and that I have my own website up now. It was fun. It was  father-son-ish and the Roast Beef went extremely well with Blue Nun Red Wine.

Cold Noodles, Leeks and Nori. Perfect afternoon snack.

After lunch, I sat infront of my computer and tried to get some work done. I never noticed how fast time passed, but the next thing I did notice was my dad calling me to come eat some Somen (Cold Japanese White Noodles) for our afternoon snack.

Dinner found me and my dad at Kenny Roger's South Mall. The chicken was good and tasty, albeit a bit dry. The service, however was prompt and cheery. And I also must give a shout out to Lhen of Kenny Roger's South Mall, thank you for being such a wonderful and cheery waitress. I so appreciate the extra box of Kenny's Corn Muffins!

Im writing this little bit because I really enjoy the times when my dad and I can just sit down and talk (which is usually done over a meal or a snack) and just catch up on each other's life. We both work at home at this point. Me in my little music studio and him in the garage, doing woodwork to finish the carpentry work for the house. Maybe this is just me, but I know there are other men and women out there who would love to spend time with their Father or Mother, catching up on how life has been, without the awkwardness that usually accompanies opening up one's life to family. My dad and I weren't always this close. God knows how it would be a struggle for me to actually converse with my father when I was younger. Who would've thought that asking what recipe to cook for dinner would be the start of a healing and restoration of relationship between father and son? Yeah, there were awkward and frustrating moments, specially during the beginning, but we all got to persevere. Specially where family is concerned.

I think I read somewhere that food heals all things. I don't believe that it does. I believe that humility, forgiveness and love does that, but food is a great jump off point for humility, forgiveness and love to be manifested. Specially in the Filipino culture.