Dinner with Six Strangers
These days, with all that seems to be happening in the world, I continue to find comfort in the relationships I have with family and the connections that I build with each of you. In my personal life, however, I am feverishly installing drywall in my basement so that my husband and I will have some “cave-like” space in our home when one of us just wants to “get away.” We’re also preparing to take our kitchen down to the studs so that we can do some major upgrades to our cabinets and appliances. I made promises early on that I’d host events at my home, so I need to get these things done in a timely manner in order to fulfill my promise. But, when I’m doing the work myself, timely may just be a dream, especially if I shoot a small nail through the end of my finger with the pneumatic nail gun again.
All of this work at home has me looking at kitchen designs on various websites, watching appliance videos on YouTube, and stumbling across websites and blogs of various types. One such blog/site is called The Chopping Block (link below). This blog site brought me to a writing by a poster by the name of Fonze; The blog is entitled “The Unifying Power of Food: How Sharing a Meal Brings Us Together.” We recognize that of all the needs we have, food, clothing, and shelter are basic, and Fonze’s writing moves us beyond the physical aspects of eating food to the the psychological aspect of doing so.
This past week, I had the opportunity to share a meal with six incredible individuals during my Dinner with Six Strangers:
Hannah Barner, Mental Health Counselor, Wellness Center
Allen Booker, Program Administrator, Liberty Partnership Program
Christopher Herbeck, Assistant Director, Grants
Anne Marie Holler, Course Coordinator, Nursing
James Piva, Technical Assistant, Nursing
Kait Schouten, Technical Assistant, Career and Transitional Services.
During this meal, I learned so much about each individual. The meal also reminded me of the importance of self-reflection. I learned that I should try the orange chocolate from Platters on Niagara Falls Boulevard (I’m not a chocolate fan). I learned that one of participants loves Funions, which I’ve not had in YEARS, so I must try them again. One of the questions that came up from a participant was, “What is the best meal you had in 2024?” It reminded me of the moment I fell in love with NFCI and Savor: the meal during my interview for the presidency, hands down, was the best of the year. I could go on and on, but I’ll end with this important message from the previously-mentioned blog:
“So, the next time you sit down to eat, take a moment to appreciate the experience. Savor the flavors, yes, but also savor the connections being made across the table. Because in a world that sometimes feels divided, food reminds us that we’re all connected.”
Thanks to these six individuals for helping all of realize that “together, we grow hope for the future.”
With appreciation,
Lloyd