Issues

Just the other night the subject of "issues" came up. Which has had me analyzing my own "issues" ever since. Why do we have them? When do they start? How on earth do we overcome them?

I have terrible buyer’s remorse. It does not matter if I buy a car, a house, a new pair of shoes or get a haircut (yes. I’m struggling with my hair-is anybody really that surprised?) I think I need some new clothes to go better with short hair.

My family has lots of goofy food issues. One time Annie decided to smell the Kraft Mac & Cheese and hasn’t touched them since. I can count on one hand the things that Abby will eat.

And then there are The Brothers. One Celiac and the other one we will never know. What are the odds that all of us siblings would have it? And that other brother would starve to death on a gluten free diet. When we were in elementary school we had to clean our plates to go out to recess. Forget recess. We couldn't even LEAVE the lunchroom until our plates were clean. Once we had Tuna Fish sandwiches for lunch and he snuck that sandwich out of that lunchroom and stuck it inside his desk so he wouldn’t have to be the lone kid sitting alone in the gym. Staring at his lunch tray. All alone with the janitor. Lifting up his feet while the floor was being mopped beneath him. Listening to the echo of the clock tick tock second by second. Having the other kids come in and play basketball around his table. Snickering at the little boy in brown socks who wouldn't finish his lunch.

Smuggling that sandwich out of that gym was a feat in and of itself. There were Nazi lunch ladies- the same ladies who were our teachers. The same teachers who had bars of soap on their desks in case somebody would say "butt" or "fart." This little lunch crime wouldn't have been so bad except that it was the day before Christmas break! ICK!

I have been the official taste tester and food reviewer of gluten free products for my Celiac brother. I made some delicious homemade GF bread and took him a slice. He hated it. I found some GF seashell macaroni (family fave) and the smell made him gag and he wouldn't eat it.

I guess I take after my dad who really has no food issues. He eats anything. And for this I am grateful. I know that I can surely count on him as my main GF supporter at our family dinners. He will be eating all the gluten free crappy delicious food with me!