Homecoming

This final week of the year (the decade!), when festivities slow,

is a time of homecoming.

Rainy weather, warm fire, and a stack of enchanting new books beckon me to cozy into my favorite reading chair. The delicious aroma of Ted’s favorite comfort food (a simple turkey meatloaf) wafts from our oven, the cat is curled up on the couch next to me and I can barely remember such bliss.

Reflecting on 2009, on the shock of having a heart attack and surgery, on the amazing grace of such a rapid recovery that I got to trek through the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey only three weeks later, I am filled with wonder and appreciation for what was a challenging year.

Ted and I have been home from that life-altering trip for two months now, and we haven’t yet turned on the TV. The sacred quality of Ephesus left us with such silence that we can’t bear to listen to the media’s view of life. We traded all that noise for the quiet pleasures of reading and following the threads of our passion wherever they lead. All striving has fallen away.

Through Kim Rosen’s exquisite, profound new book Saved by a Poem (Hay House, 2009) I rediscovered poetry, and, specifically, some lines that have always touched me , but that I now understand more deeply.

The poem Love After Love by Derek Wolcott, begins:

The time will come

When, with elation,

You will greet yourself arriving

At your own door, in your own mirror,

And each will smile at the other’s welcome,

And say, sit here, Eat.

I am basking in the joy of taking this time to come home to myself. In this new decade I will be drawn by what my heart wants, and not driven by any old ideas of who I am and any old shoulds.

I will learning by heart all the poems that truly speak to me as a meditative practice. Though I had pushed my passion for poetry to the back burner, it has become my priority. Discerning that my soul is longing to commit to something new in this new decade, I know I will be sharing my deep passion through developing poetry programs to take into schools.

But for today, in this quiet time between future and past, join me in the sheer joy of communing with your own heart.

“Peel your image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.”

TURKEY MEATLOAF

For at least 6 servings

This is my version of a recipe from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. So simple to make and fantastic to have on hand for meatloaf sandwiches afterwards.

1 medium large onion, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons fresh, chopped)

½ teaspoon dried sage (or 2 teaspoons fresh, chopped)

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup water

2 teaspoons tomato paste (from a tube)

2-1/2 pounds ground turkey

¾ cup matzo meal or plain dry breadcrumbs

2 large eggs, beaten

Tomato ketchup for topping and serving

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a skillet, sauté the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and sage over medium heat until the onions are soft, but not browned. Add the Worcestershire sauce, water and tomato paste and mix well. Place in a large bowl and let cool for a few minutes.

Add the ground turkey, matzo meal and eggs to the onion mixture in the bowl and mix until very well combined. Form into a rectangular loaf on a baking sheet. Spread ketchup over the top.

Place in center of oven, with a pan of hot water on the rack below to prevent the loaf from cracking.

Bake for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Serve hot with mashed potatoes and peas, or cold in a sandwich.

To prepare in advance: The cooked meatloaf, wrapped in foil, will last at least 4 or 5 days in the refrigerator.