Comfort. I feel like it’s what we’re all craving right about now, after these months of turmoil. When you look at this photo, you might just see some odd bread and egg concoction. But not me.

I see my 8-year-old self, sitting at my grandparents little kitchen table in the Bronx, where I spent every Saturday as a child. My favorite person in the world, my grandfather, is at the stove, making me his famous “bread with egg in the middle”, just like he made for my mom when she was a girl. He is whistling a tune while he cooks, and frying the middle extra toasty, just the way I like it. I feel happy and safe.

I see my 12-year-old self, home sick from school, and my mom making me this same meal and letting me eat it in front of the TV, a special treat. She too, makes the middle extra toasty, just the way I like it. I feel happy and safe.

And many years later, it is me who is standing at the stove, making this for my own three children, when they are sick or needing comfort. I make the middle extra toasty, just the way they like it. I hope they feel happy and safe.

It occurred to me the other day that I’ve made this WAY more often in the past few months than I have in years. It seems I’m craving it constantly. And I think I finally figured out why.

Because when the world seems to be falling apart, it’s not so easy to feel happy and safe.

And because this food…well, it’s not just bread and eggs to me. It is Saturdays with my grandfather. It’s the feeling of being taken care of. It is family, who I am missing. It is comfort.

My point is this: if you need to eat a little too much comfort food right now, or watch too much TV, or ignore the mess in your house – it’s ok. If you can’t seem to focus, and even the simplest tasks or decisions are weighing you down – it’s ok. You are not alone.

So hang in there my friends…cook that comfort food, give yourself some grace, cry when you need to, and always, always, laugh when you can.  ❤️

Janene