My apologies. This will not be the kind of post where I divulge a secret family recipe for the most amazing apple pie you have ever eaten in your life.
I am simply here to tell you that you can have a slice of pie. You don’t need anyone’s permission (not even a dietitian’s!) to enjoy your food, even foods you consider a treat or an indulgence. Why say this? Why say this now? Well especially in the context of seasonal treats, I just feel bad for people who look longingly at food and still deny themselves. If you get nothing else out of this post, please try to take this to heart: under the right conditions and in the right context, eating a slice of pie is an appropriate and mindful choice.
While I can’t give away the recipe, I will say I know each and every ingredient that went into that pie from crust to filling. I even know the secret ingredients! It was created with as much love as any pie was ever created. It was transported with care and was given in the spirit of friendship. While I can’t quantify the calories in that pie (I can venture a guess), I can certainly qualify the pie: the pie is proof that the world is good.
As my friend sliced into the pie and lovingly gave everyone in the room a few delicious mouthfuls, she did the same thing my grandmother did — making sure each person’s serving included the apples that had slipped out from the crusts, then topping off the slice with a dollop of whipped cream to balance the tartness of the pie.
With bowls in hand, some of us standing and some sitting, we savored each bite. There was no guilt associated with eating dessert before dinner. There was no guilt for enjoying what we were eating (PIE! Of all things!!) and how much we were eating (more than a petite forkful *gasps*). As we each had our very own #MeFirst experience of the sensual and wonderful pleasures of cooked apples, flaky pastry, and fresh whipped cream, we also created a collective #MeFirst moment (a #WeFirst). We created a memory.
This is how you eat the most amazing apple pie you have ever eaten in your life. This is how you eat just about anything — not out of boredom, or to deal with anxiety or stress, not just because it is there, or because you crave it. In my opinion, you eat because you recognize the goodness in everything around you and do not want to be separate from it. #MeFirst is a firm, yet unwavering, belief that you are worth a slice of pie every now and then.
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