The Food Tradition

For thousands of years people have been gathering together over meals. Good food is something all enjoy, and sharing it together is an even sweeter experience.

It's also one I no longer have.

Because of the exposure to mycotoxins, I now have many food allergies. The gluten-, nightshade-, grain-, egg-, starch-, sugar-, and mostly diary-free diet is a healthy and delicious one, but almost impossible to hold to if I want to eat out or in another household. Since most restaurants don't list all their ingredients and I can't be in most houses because of air quality, I've come to eat food prepared only at home.

The loss of communal meals seems like a small one, but when I get together with friends and family it becomes huge. Saying no to tasting what others eat is difficult, and I've occasionally found myself saying yes because I wanted to be normal so badly. I always paid for it dearly afterwards.

Eating different food alienates me, which is why when my birthday rolled up this month I wanted to bring others into my little space ship orbiting earth.

I'd hoped to prepare dishes from my daily menu for my brother and his fiancée to share with me. I would give them a taste of my world, and perhaps for once I wouldn't feel as isolated.

However, I wasn't feeling well leading up to the chosen day and didn't have the energy to carry out my plans. Then, since the forecast foreboded of nasty weather, Mom and I headed south just hours before it started snowing the day after I finally got to see the couple.

My hope has not completely deteriorated though. Perhaps in the spring when I return to the city my brother lives in, I'll be able to finally share a meal with him and my future sister, and carry on a tradition that will hopefully last a thousand years more.

~Janelle