Our Imperfections

Despite all our life and work experience, we are always beings in the making, trying to better ourselves in the arenas that matter to us. Or even in frivolous areas, like watching fish grow.

The Man has hired a coach to help him hone his interviewing techniques. He's interviewed and hired staff before. But now that he's on the other side, he doesn't always present himself as someone you'd want to work with. He's also talking to friends who have HR and interviewing experience to get a better grip on how to prepare himself for job interviews.

I am forever trying to perfect my cooking recipes. A while back, I churned out a batch of cranberry muffins every few days. This week, I've turned to chocolate chip cookies. But the overriding area of concern for me is how to better the society in which we live.

There is the governments we elect who should act as leaders and put in place the structures and infrastructures for us to lead peaceful, ethical, connected lives. But the details of a quality life are up to the individual.

When I went canvassing with my Candidate, we knocked on a door where an elderly woman speaking Portuguese only told Candidate that one morning, she woke up and found a huge Incumbent's campaign sign on her front lawn. Her next door neighbour, also an elderly woman who spoke no English, had the same sign appear on her fence. Because the signs belong to an elected official, they were afraid they'd be tampering with city property if they removed them. Fortunately for Candidate, she speaks four languages fluently, Portuguese being one of them.

Incumbent's behaviour is grossly unethical, targetting little old ladies who spoke no English and putting his signs on their property without permission. Yet, incumbent was elected because he and most of the people in this ward share the same language of origin.

I am glad to be knocking on doors to flush out these misconducts, one house at a time.

But here's my big dream to correct our world. I want to set up a community kitchen where women come and cook, share recipes and cooking techniques, talk about their day, and bring home nourishing meals to their families. Not a kitchen for the financially impoverished, but a kitchen for the spiritually downtrodden, even if the condition is temporary.

Once the kitchen gets going, we could even launch a business line of frozen meals to keep the kitchen self-sustaining and pay wages to women who want to be full-time moms and have a bit of pocket money on the side.

Services for the economically poor exist, though I know of no gatherings for women where they can share their experiences while doing something productive. There are cooking courses, but they are classroom lessons. But to actually engage women in the active art of creation where they can mend their souls and provide nourishment for their family? I know of no such program.

It's the start up that costs money and energy. Funding agencies don't fund capital purchases, nor give to women whose impoverishment are not visible. And I can't count on my energy right now. There are days I am focussed and raring to go. Then there are days like today when my lower back hurts so much I can barely walk.

For now, my community kitchen is just a yearning. If I don't win the lottery, regulate my energy, or get my head screwed on right, I hope someone else will take this idea and make this service to women happen.