Eating Alone for the Holidays

There was a time when the world thought eating alone was good for your mental and emotional well being. It gave you a break from constantly interacting with other people. You didn’t feel like you had to smooze or make conversation.  You could just enjoy your food.

I have eaten alone roughly 700 times this year, give or take, and most of those meals were filled with stress and crushing isolation.  At any moment, I could lose my job, my apartment, my boyfriend, and I almost did. That’s why, for the last post of the year, I wanted to make something delicious. 

Shrimp Fra Diavolo is quite possibly one of my favorite dishes.  Spicy tomato sauce with succulent shrimp on a bed of linguine, or any variation thereof, makes my tummy happy. I used the recipe from Chili Pepper Madness. As spicy red peppers are hard to find this time of year, I used a teaspoon of Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce from Trader Joe’s.  A little goes a long way, but so worth it.

Who else thought 2020 was going to be their year? After all, 2019 was personally difficult for me. I lost my dad, canceled my wedding, and was shunned by a large number of people. Surely, this year couldn’t be any worse. 

That crushing isolation created paranoia. It was very hard to make new friends this year. At least I am not alone in eating alone. Collectively we eat and drink in the safety of our own homes.  We have learned to adapt and think creatively. Potential friends are on the other side of the screen.

Before the end of the year, make a dish you absolutely love.  Something only you would eat. Savor it and enjoy. Maybe this is the time to revisit who you want to be. We compromised ourselves for the benefit of others for so long. We lose sight of who we are.  Who am I? Am I bold? Fiery? Inspiring? Or are those things I want to be?

Maybe I can be that in 2021.