Friends,
greetings from yet another Delta SkyClub from your good friend Sarah, who is
waiting to board her flight from Minneapolis back to NYC and get back to my
Kitchen and team of Chefs. It has been a
WONDERFUL Christmas (best one in many, many years), and some of my favorite
moments, besides cooking for my Grandma and spending time with Family, was
hugging all my Friends and taking time to meet with and hug and thank all my
Chefs who helped me get exactly where I am today.
As
I look back on this incredibly busy week in MN, I cannot help but compare my
2013 to the ever-famously awful year 2012.
The previous year included 19 funerals, including the loss of John, who
stepped in and became one of my most important father figures, the loss of his
wife, a brutal round of medical industry backstabbing from surprising places
I thought were friendly territory, and the intentional and necessary ending of
several friendships which had run their course. Family was fighting, which is always
incredibly stressful for me, and I was so exhausted by the year’s tumult that I
spent Christmas by myself.
That’s right…completely by myself, with a split of champagne and Bouchon cookbook, reading in the quiet, sitting on the lounge overlooking my home city of Minneapolis, which used to seem so big and intimidating to this girl who grew up in farmland. At this same moment 1 year ago, I fit….no place. I could not figure out what to do with my life or understand why or how I had gotten to where I was, much less know what to do for the following year. I vowed that no matter what, 2012 was so awful, so full of tears and frustration and feeling like I had no idea where I fit, that the following year (this year) would be the very best year of my life, and that I would focus, always, on happiness, no matter how small or elusive.
That’s right…completely by myself, with a split of champagne and Bouchon cookbook, reading in the quiet, sitting on the lounge overlooking my home city of Minneapolis, which used to seem so big and intimidating to this girl who grew up in farmland. At this same moment 1 year ago, I fit….no place. I could not figure out what to do with my life or understand why or how I had gotten to where I was, much less know what to do for the following year. I vowed that no matter what, 2012 was so awful, so full of tears and frustration and feeling like I had no idea where I fit, that the following year (this year) would be the very best year of my life, and that I would focus, always, on happiness, no matter how small or elusive.
Cue
2013.
Now
I live in NYC, where the huge skyscrapers make me feel hugged and protected
instead of intimidated. I landed a gig
at one of my favorite restaurants, cooking a couple days a week (without pay,
mind you), learning from a team of Chefs that is ferocious in their commitment
to excellence. I traveled to Australia,
Japan, Brazil and Paris, for work and play, which included successful clinical
trial and approval of 7 different medical products that will help hundreds of
thousands of patients and their families.
I landed 5 new medical research clients which booked me through most of
2014.
I again ended relationships that needed ending, I held firm to my values and convictions, which is becoming more and more important as time moves faster and faster. I made a point to stop spending time with so many people who were not my closest circle and instead spent time nurturing and growing the friendships that mattered the most. I took good care of my Chefs and Family, and they took good care of me. I surrounded myself with music and art and nature, and those things, too, gave back to me, filling me up with energy and inspiration, balance and joy. I supported charities that were close to my heart and helped make a difference by hosting a Bad Wedding Reception party, where the “registry” gifts all went to Bridging, which helps homeless people start over again in a new home. My Clients, Friends and I helped kids have a table to eat at, dishes to eat off of, and blankets of their very own. That is what was critical, what was most important, no matter if there was happiness in other areas of my life or not.
I again ended relationships that needed ending, I held firm to my values and convictions, which is becoming more and more important as time moves faster and faster. I made a point to stop spending time with so many people who were not my closest circle and instead spent time nurturing and growing the friendships that mattered the most. I took good care of my Chefs and Family, and they took good care of me. I surrounded myself with music and art and nature, and those things, too, gave back to me, filling me up with energy and inspiration, balance and joy. I supported charities that were close to my heart and helped make a difference by hosting a Bad Wedding Reception party, where the “registry” gifts all went to Bridging, which helps homeless people start over again in a new home. My Clients, Friends and I helped kids have a table to eat at, dishes to eat off of, and blankets of their very own. That is what was critical, what was most important, no matter if there was happiness in other areas of my life or not.
The
wonderful thing is that the more I focused on being true to who I was and what
I was about, the more wonderful things kept happening. The more I spoke up and defended doing the
right thing, the more good things and good people came into my life. The more I focused on what mattered most, the
happier I became.
So
here I am, once again in a Delta lounge, once again wondering what is ahead for
next year, but I tell you what, Friends, it is going to be the very best year
of my life. There are big changes ahead
for me, and I am not quite ready, but that just means I will learn “on the fly”
as we say in the Kitchen, and I could not be happier about that. No matter what, I will focus on happiness,
and I will be happy with whatever 2014 brings.
I
cannot WAIT to talk to you about what makes you happy, too, and what adventures
we have ahead. Looking forward to
connecting with you soon, in my Kitchen or yours. Until then….
Lots
of love from Minneapolis,
soon to be NYC,
Your
Good Friend Sarah
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