Emotional Cooking…

I had one of those days at work…

You know, one of those days where the reality of exactly how much is out of my control came into focus.  Acute focus.

Being the type of girl who likes control, this frustrates me to no end.

I’m a counselor, so I’m reminded nearly every day of exactly how much is beyond my influence. One of the first rules of counseling is to accept that you can’t change everything.  And that sometimes things just suck.

This reality slapped me in the face on a daily basis in a former life, when I worked as a mental health counselor.  Now I work in higher ed. The slaps are still there, they just come less frequently.  Sometimes they come from places that I don’t expect.  Today was one of those days.

Fortunately , I come home to Jason.  He listens to me (not that counselors can say much), offers me a hug, a glass of wine, and a refill if I need it.

We cook dinner.  Life gets better.  I let go a little.

There’s something about chopping vegetables that’s therapeutic after a rough day.  The focus that’s required to dice and mince without losing a finger overrides my attempts to wrap my head around the things I don’t understand or can’t control.

Counseling requires patience and a faith that things will evolve into what they need to over time.  Transforming raw ingredients into a dish is immediate, and that immediacy is satisfying.

Tonight we pulled together a simple sweet and sour pork dish.  The recipe is courtesy of the Baltic Maid blog.  Plenty of chopping and a return to peace.  I’ll worry about what I can and can’t control tomorrow – tonight we cook, dine, and relax.