For years, I steered clear of food-centered events and disliked eating in front of others. Even sharing meals with my fellow patients was a challenge for me during treatment. I believed others were staring at my food and judging it, making me feel self-conscious about appearing messy or eating with my hands. At times, I still grapple with those emotions… Conversely, cooking alongside others was what truly helped me feel at ease with food in social environments. I recall one particular evening when friends visited, and we chose to prepare a pasta dish. They were skilled cooks, and I was merely helping out, but the vibrant energy in the kitchen that night was contagious. For the first time, I got hands-on with food preparation, and I remember thinking, “I might really enjoy this.” The fear vanished because we were preparing the food together.
