Thanking my friend who had volunteered to take care of my son while I was away, I happened to mention that I was nervous about taking the long flight for my travels with my allergy ravaged sinuses. His advice, "if you are a coffee drinker, treat yourself to some nice coffee at the airport". It turns out I am not much of a coffee drinker, but I do know what is my idea of a treat. It is home made food, cooked with some care.

I modified his advice and added 'cook a treat' to my list of things to do before leaving home. I cooked myself a nourishing and yummy snack that I packed in a lunch box to carry with me. There was plenty of time at the airport to sit and enjoy my home made treat after I had checked in. Instead of feeling trapped in the commercial industrial environment with regulated searches that brush everyone with a sense of fear and mis-trust, or worry about whether the flight would make my sinuses worse, I was able to find a little oasis of my own. The simple pleasure of my home-made self-care treat enjoyed at a leisurely pace, made me feel ready to take on anything. Each mouthful nourished me and made me feel connected to my home. The flight tunred out to be a breeze.

In my younger days, I recall arguing with my mother as to why she would always pack a meal for travel when we could just buy some on the way. Now, I have become just like my mother. There is magical alchemy when you cook with care. Don't take my word for it, try it out yourself and while you are at it, don't forget to be creative. And let me know how it turned out for your own self-care.