This Thursday, August 13th, marks the launch of The Healthy Cookie: Unbaked, an inspiring journal that documents a life changing two years from a Crohn’s
Disease diagnosis to naturally attained perfect health. This is not a guide on how to get you well but the very personal story of how I got well. More than anything, it documents my discovery of life lessons that don’t just apply to Crohn’s but that can help anyone going through any kind of challenge. All week I am sharing excerpts from the book along with my favourite healthy cookie recipes.
Excerpt from The Healthy Cookie:Unbaked
What Do You Want From Me, Written May 15th, 2007
… If we were truly able to empathize we would never say things, unintentionally at least, that would be construed as hurtful. We would never get on each others nerves and would never try each others patience… We all have our own way of dealing with things. Some want to talk, others want to run away, try and fix it, or just forget about it. There is no right or wrong here.
We will all deal, cope and react in our own ways. We all have our own history, unique unto ourselves. We have our own sensitivities, our own walls and our own boundaries. No two people share the same history, therefore feeling what someone else is feeling is virtually impossible.
There are certain things I believe we all want from the people in our lives. We all want a little support, to be loved, trusted, listened to and heard. We want to be valued and ultimately to be good to each other. How we go about sharing and showing such things can be difficult. We each define these needs uniquely and individually.
Perhaps what we really need to do is take the time and understanding to learn what the people in our lives need from us. And it likely won’t be the same or in the same way as what we need of them. It is not about treating others as we want to be treated. It is about being perceptive enough, patient enough, responsive enough, intuitive enough and open enough to be truly empathetic to the best of our ability in order to give others what they truly need. That is how we help others to heal.
And when we are asked ‘what do you want from me?’, it is our own responsibility to answer truthfully, honestly and without fear.
Read the whole story tomorrow (and get another little excerpt)!
Ricki’s Marvelous Maple Flax Cookies
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp coconut oil
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp Sucanat or other unrefined evaporated cane juice
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp (30 ml) finely ground flax seeds
3 Tbsp whole flax seeds
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix all ingredients together with hands or spoon
- Dollop about 1 Tbs worth onto cookie sheet and form into cookie shape- not too thin though as they do flatten as they cook
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes.
Great excerpt. And glad to have my own “healthy cookie” included alongside yours.
Looking forward to reading the entire book!
I could do a whole book on living life surrounded by those LACKING empathy!
it’s vicous!
I agree wholeheartedly…empathy heals
and so can those cookies! I actually WANT one of those now!
I feel a baking fix coming on!
you’re new book is gonna sell like….cookies at a bake sale!
good for you!
I am sooo making those cookies! What a fantastic blog, I really love it. I hope you don’t mind if I put you in my blogroll.
Tell me what you want, what you really really want?
I love this post and I think it really comes down to the last line that you wrote:
“And when we are asked ‘what do you want from me?’, it is our own responsibility to answer truthfully, honestly and without fear.”
We can all really try to give to people what we think they need, but I don’t think anyone is going to really receive it for themselves, until they are able to be completely open and honest about it. And I don’t mean shouting it to the world; even to have the awareness within one’s own heart, quietly, about what it is you need, can be life transforming.
How often do we really ask this of ourselves? The amazing thing that happens, is that when we do, we actually start to receive it into our lives and hearts.
Sarah
” It is about being perceptive enough, patient enough, responsive enough, intuitive enough and open enough to be truly empathetic to the best of our ability in order to give others what they truly need.” So true. I loved your post.
And that cookie is just as lovely!
Good Article, I love it, I agree this ideal. thank you for you sharing
That is so true Sarah! And that is actually the exact context in which this came about as I was writing it.