“Leftovers of Much Love”

These past few days have been quite incredible with conversations over different cuisines centered around change and what it means to be meaningful. Bringing mom downtown felt good to see her smile from 65 stories up on a unique high rise with a unique view that had us all taken back in our sleeping bags once upon a time. Shuttling back between downtown and the burbs was worth all the traffic in the world to reconnect and meet amazing friends, tend to my 17 yr old lab, and journey back the next morning to witness such an inspiring sunrise. The metaphor of what could be possible to have more allows us to give more and that’s just always the way we have opened the door to many possibilities for others including ourselves. Being able to spend time with my sister only brought us closer as we both learn what it means to love while feeling this sense of loss. It‘s both beautiful and yet empty in the context of having this yearning to fill a void that essentially cannot be filled... rather refocused into just being more than we were once before. So here’s to being a more welcoming host, to being a more informed philanthropist, a more supportive brother, a more patient and understanding son, and a (one day) more loving companion. With both meals and meeting others, there are always leftovers of much love to go around.
More info on the National Center for Family Philanthropy here: https://www.ncfp.org/
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“$25,000+ Lunch Outing w/ Mom”

Good eats were served as a preview for future feats of flavor while enjoying the open atrium dining area of Joläne’s Cafe. Named after the founder of the infamous ABT appliance store (think 4 Seasons Hotels meets Best Buy meets the best Mercedes show room), it was extra special to take mom on a field trip to get her perspective on the dreaded appliances selection for my upcoming kitchen remodel. The intent behind an epic investment of design meets functionally for foodNess is to have a space to not only host friends and family from time to time, but to also echo how so many regard food as medicine. Being able to enlist knowledgeable chefs, food enthusiasts with a focus on health, and registered dietitians will allow me to produce video featurettes on food prep approaches that can truly help others. It’s just one more cause-driven creative endeavor that feels right at home for anyone who loves to eat and is open to healthy alternatives that are both fun & relatively easy to replicate many times over. So here’s a toast towards an enormous investment all things kitchen that can promote a sense of community and help others!

“The Commencement of Change”

It’s not starting over but yet a new beginning. Familiar forestry seems to have found its way to a different day of prolonged hues in waiting- perhaps contemplating how the inevitable color may cause more pause to reflect on what may be in varied alterations this time around. He’s not here and yet so much of him still lives inside me- with less of a conflicted struggle and more a sense of peace. My heart which remained closed off for several seasons now embraces this autumn wide open... like a front door bringing in a brisk morning breeze emphasized when I realized that only wearing boxers would bring out the best of goose bumps. Brrrrr-oken I shall be no more. Rather, i’ve come to prefer ‘in process of reassembling my ability to love again.’ So i’ll start with this buckeye tree to see the yellow sunrise colors encourage his fellow neighboring leaves to bring their respective reds instead of staying that procrastinated green. Continued culling of the deadwood makes way for kindling and trails which will soon be shared by good company, conversation and song. How grateful I am indeed to feel like I finally belong...
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© Ramon Nayar. All Rights Reserved.
ISO Splash. Words. Images. Storytelling.
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