Reminiscing over Italian Food

Today I cooked . . . a lot! I spent the early parts of the morning job hunting and applying seemingly everywhere. I'm pretty sure I've officially bbrokenthe 100 businesses-applied-to mark if not more. Afterwards ,I had a fantastic headache so I laid down and took a nap, something I haven't done in forever it seems. When I woke up I was quite famished so I went to the kitchen and decided to work some magic. I haven't really gotten to cook anything since coming home from college which has been quite alright with me until today. I was hit with a sudden attack of nostalgia and felt the need to make pasta (Annica this is your fault!). Thus, I got to work making Manicotti. This is the perfect meal to make when thinking of Annica because it uses the main ingredients of pasta, Italian seasoning, and spinach. But of course I couldn't stop there so I began making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and pumpkin chocolate chip bread, and eventually took the extra hamburger and made tomorrow night's dinner, Swedish Meatballs. This whole time I'm suffering from a severe case of nostalgia, thinking back on the many times I'd cooked with Paige and Annica, made pasta with Spencer and of course tried his surprisingly good vinegar (by the way white peach vinegar on ice cream is a little weird but definitely worth trying just giving you all the heads up), and when I ate Italian food at the dinner before Festival of Nations. Indeed it is a lot of remembrances to be remembered from a little Italian food.

Soon it was time to go to Brittney's concert. It was Choir Night, the last concert of the year. I was able to see all my old choirs perform and many of my younger friends as well. I even cried during Chamber Singers performance of Prayers of the Children. During the applause, I "yetied" and was excited to see all my friends' heads turn, recognizing my yeti call, and trying to search me out. Getting to hug Ashley, Averey, Erik, Tyson, Amanda, Melissa, Johnny, Kaylee, and Larissa, talking to Mr. Casperson and just being back was amazing. I couldn't help but reminisce about all the fun times I had last year and wish that Sarah was back here with me. But upon returning home to finally eat my delicious manicotti I was once again happily surprised by how content I was.

It reminds me of a song I wrote the summer after I graduated. It's called Memories and the chorus goes like this:

Life is making memories of people, places, moments, things,
That made an impression and taught a valuable lesson.
Never waste the time you'be been given, it's precious like the air you breathe in.
What matters the most are all the things that go into you Memories.

I was once told by someone very dear to me that "Love is measured by the memories you share." Love is memories. I've always loved that idea because in that statement we find support, comfort, and opportunity. By looking back on past friends, loves, and relationships we can find comfort in the memory for we were loved. By nurturing the friends, loves, and relationships we have now we find strength and support in our daily endeavors. And by looking towards future friends, loves, and relationships we face endless opportunity to create more memories. An endless circle of memories, love, and possibility; beginning for me with a little bit of pasta.

-Natalie Cherie