Young at Heart

Never judge a person by her age. 

I have a friend who is truly young at heart.  It just seems to come naturally to her.  She is inquisitive, spontaneous, energetic and imaginative.  Her eyes sparkle as if she were on the brink of a discovery.  Although I’ve only known her for a few years, she accepts me like a life-long friend.  She delights in simple things, and her laugh gurgles like a fresh stream after a rain shower.  I simply feel young when I am with her.  Her name is Amelia. 

Last night, Amelia was my dinner guest.   Within minutes of walking through the door, she was on the floor hugging the golden retriever.  After a rousing game of tug and fetch, she was eager to help cook the meal.  Amelia gives me fresh insights on everything.  For example, she is the only cook I know who needs no spoons. Why use spoons when you have your fingers?  Mixing cornbread, applying marinade, no problem.  The set of ten tools you were born with are sufficient. 

Amelia is also a believer in “taste as you go”.  Although this has the potential of disaster to the recipe, the results are nevertheless excellent when the method is equally applied to all ingredients.  She will always be welcome wherever she goes: She is the only guest I know who gets as much pleasure from washing the bowls as she does from eating the food. 

She leads with her heart.  Her passion for pink inspired the utmost creativity with desert, transforming whipped cream, strawberries and vanilla yogurt into a dream-bowl of frothy wonderfulness. 

To top off a most illuminating culinary experience, we indulged in our mutual love of literature by reading Pinkalicious.

If you need distraction from life’s complexities, it’s a good idea to seek out a good friend --  preferably one who, like Amelia, is five years old.