Sharing food in a bubble

Sharing food is one of those acts that brings us closer together and whilst yes, some of us will still be doing that within our warm, cozy, protective ‘bubbles’ for those alone, in a pair or still separated from other loved ones, sharing a meal, an act we may once have taken for granted, is something that’s painfully hard to give up. Especially through tougher times or milestones – birthdays, anniversaries, remembrance dates – which still arise as each new day dawns.

Something I’ve learnt over the past few days is that gratitude is an amazing way to overcome anxiety and sadness. In addition, as humans we have an incredible ability to imagine, dream and remember – and I think, as Kiwis, there’s untapped creativity and innovation within all of us.

So a small suggestion in these tough times. Remind the people you are with, and even more so, those that you are not about the memories shared over a meal in the past. Recreate, through language and emotion, the smells, the tastes, the sounds and the chatter that took place as you embraced a beautiful act of enjoying food together. Make use of the technology we have to cook together over video calls, heck why not set the table, or leave a space on the couch and eat those meals with their faces beaming back at you. And for those who aren’t connected – consider the revival of the written letter. There’s a reason the act of expressing thoughts through pen and paper still exists (even if it might be a little difficult to send the mail!).

And we’re always here. On the other end of the computer or phone to listen to your stories and to share. So please, if you feel compelled to do so, send us your memories or how you’ll be connecting with others during this time. We all need as much inspiration, light and laughter in our lives right now as we can get.