Culinary Exploration: Embracing the Different

"Mom, should I try this?"

"You won't like it. There's pasta over there."

"I'll take this."

"Well, go ahead."

"Yuck."

"I told you that you wouldn't like it, but you didn't listen."

I watched the scene and chuckled. A little boy, around six years old, with all the vibrant curiosity of his age, wanted to try something new but was also a bit apprehensive. So, he sought assurance from his mother. Maybe he wanted to like it, perhaps he wanted to show that he was grown-up, and that he could choose things that adults like. Perhaps it was just his curiosity about trying something different, something that wasn't pasta or French fries. Maybe he wanted some support, someone to say, "Good for you for trying, and it's okay if you don't like what you try."

I thought about the mother, who might have felt the pressure to show that she had a well-behaved, properly raised child who finishes his meals and always selects the right food, the kind he would eat entirely. Perhaps she desperately needed that praise, the acknowledgment, the admiration for her role as a mother, even if it meant that she had to present her child in a certain way. Perhaps she had a great need for this praise, to be seen, to be admired for her motherhood, and why not feel a little proud? Perhaps she had to play this role, for herself and for her child.

These thoughts crossed my mind as I enjoyed a fantastic roasted dish with potatoes and rosemary. The buffet had other options, but unlike the little one, I chose to stick to my 'pasta,' something I knew would please me!

Enjoy your meal!