In the days and weeks after our son Afton passed away, I found myself unable to eat. How do you eat when you have a broken heart? Your body practically forgets. In my most emotional moments, I was often trying to swim through such a deep abyss of heartbreak that taking even a few bites of food became miserable. The anxiety, depression, and sadness of our situation made it nearly impossible to enjoy the one single thing that normally brings a body so much healing and joy: food.
So… What’s This Series About?
Exactly one day after being home from the hospital, friends started showing up at our house with food. ONE DAY. They did not even wait for day two – they were there and they were ON IT. Pots of soup, pans of lasagna, curries, loaves of bread… every delicious thing you could imagine and more would be placed on our front doorstep over the course of the next two and a half months, sometimes accompanied by a visit and sometimes just left quietly in love.
This food was a lifeline. These acts of love put warm, sustaining food in front of me, and that food tethered me to real life. It was through soup, cookies, salads, and little cheesy homemade pizza rolls that I was able to find my way again, both physically and emotionally.
This post series – Feeding a Broken Heart – is dedicated to helping those who are hurting to find their way again through food. It’s dedicated to all the helpers in the world who bring meals and beyond when life falls apart for their people.
And it’s dedicated to the memory of our sweet baby Afton, whose short life has allowed us to experience the most intense love of our lives.
Comfy-cozy potato soup made with a simple cream base, carrots/celery/onions/garlic, and a nice crumbled handful of crispy bacon. This absolutely, shamelessly, 100% begs for a piece of buttered bread to dunk in it.
It would be such an honor to join with you, the food lovers, as we show up and share food with the people in our lives who are hurting.
Here’s how you can be a part of this mini-movement:
Think of someone who has a broken heart.
Make them one of these recipes. Or if you don’t live close, mail them a restaurant or meal delivery gift card. Snail mail them a chocolate bar. No rules here – just lots of love.
Show us what you’re doing by using the hashtag #feedingabrokenheart.
And if the broken heart is yours, you can and should make some of this food for yourself. That totally counts.
If you don’t have a broken heart, and you don’t know anyone with a broken heart right now, you can still make any of these recipes in memory of our sweet baby and you better believe we will love you majorly for it.
Over the next three weeks, we will round up some of your inspiring, love-filled stories and feature them right here on this page. Scroll down to take a look.
