A Delicious Expression of Love - Food Memory Project

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Food often represents an expression of love. Whether a fancy meal or a favorite childhood comfort food, the sentiment behind the preparation is key.

Preparing and serving food is a beautiful way to express our love for other people. The food doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate- it can be as simple as a bowl of cereal. Long after the last bite is eaten, we remember who we shared the food with and how it made us feel.

Bowl of raisin bran with milk serves as an expression of love for guest poster

Cereal, in fact, holds special significance for Keerthana from Cary, North Carolina. She remembers how her grandmother would lovingly prepare cereal for her each day, just the way she liked it, during her early childhood. Here is her story:

“Aaya [maternal grandmother in Tamil] raised me for the first years of my life. I would come home from LKG [literally translates to lower kindergarten but essentially preschool] in my sand beige uniform, however unflattering, and knew that there would be Raisin Bran waiting for me. Raisin Bran, without any of the raisins, as Aaya would meticulously pick out each and every one. I strongly disliked raisins (and still do!), no matter how auspicious of a food they were. It brings me to tears now thinking about how my Aaya wanted nothing more than to have her favorite granddaughter curl up against her, scarf down the bran cereal in warm milk, and slurp the cereal milk, just so she could look forward to the next day of doing it all over again. Though my Aaya passed from cancer in 2015, and I didn’t get to say a proper goodbye to her, I never will look at Raisin Bran the same way again.”

Indian woman with young child - — Keerthana (right) with her Aaya

Thank you, Keerthana, for sharing this sweet memory of your Aaya. What a beautiful act of love to remember her by, and a perfect example of how food can draw people closer even when they’re far apart.