This morning I had a real problem getting dressed. I was standing in my closet looking at everything hanging there feeling annoyed, irritated, and uninspired. Normally this would be because I want to look crisp and tailored, but didn’t want to feel anything touching me. (Yes, I realize how this sounds, but it’s true.) This morning, I really wanted to wear navy blue. I took out a navy blue dress with white polka dots and a jacket with a matching blue stripe. Then I had to find tights and shoes. I don’t own any navy tights. They’re all black, brown, or gray. I don’t own any navy shoes, although I look for some every time I shop, but I wouldn’t have to iron the polka dot dress or the blue and white striped jacket, so I took them out of the closet, hung them from the knobs of my dresser, and paired them with black tights and black Mary Jane heels. Hanging there under a skylight with the black tights draped over the hanger, I noticed that the navy blue seemed to morph into black. Or maybe it was black to begin with and I just thought it was blue? Who knows? Now I had managed to run late and time was of overriding importance. The two colors are so close that when I left the house, I felt comfortable that I looked good enough for the event I was attending that included the governor, mayor, and many local business leaders.
Driving to work, I started thinking about navy blue and black and my perception of the difference. In the sunlight through my windshield, my dress looked noticeably blue again. Noticing this difference, I started thinking about subtle shifts of light and subtle shifts in perception. With a background in graphic design, I know that color perception changes when color is viewed in natural light versus artificial light, on a less reflective surface versus a more reflective surface, or when one color is surrounded by another color. Is it possible that I can use this knowledge to explore small shifts in perception in other areas?
Will it be less convenient? Let’s say I’m planning to pick up burgers on the way home tonight. Instead of driving through my usual fast-food chain, as I leave the office I’ll call a locally owned restaurant and order hamburger steaks with baked potatoes and salad for pick-up. It will be ready when I get there.
What stays the same? I’m picking up dinner on my way home. I will be eating beef and potatoes. Because I’m calling in advance, I’ll still eat at my planned mealtime.
What will change? I’m making a phone call in advance. I’ll see different scenery because I will drive a different route home. A salad is included in the price, so I don’t have to order something additional to get some greens. I won’t eat a whole hamburger steak (maybe), so I’ll have some left over for a snack tomorrow. If I order a burger on a bun, I always eat the whole thing.
For you the changes may be slightly different. You may be able to feed two children with a hamburger steak, plus have a chance to request that the bread included in the price be wrapped separately so that any gluten-eaters in the house can have a double portion. You may discover that the price difference between hamburger steak and a hamburger and fries is more than offset by the increased amount of food you receive. Such a transaction creates an opportunity to teach your children about sharing and value for your dollar. You can also show your family by example that proactively taking care of your health is something you consider important. In addition, you can support a locally owned restaurant. It’s possible that this will increase your sense of community as you become friendly with the restaurateurs.
Are these changes so bad, or so significant, that they create an insurmountable roadblock? For me, they seem like a small shift in my normal routine and I feel as comfortable with these shifts as I do pairing my navy blue dress with black shoes. I still want some navy blue shoes, but I am able to feel satisfied that I look good without them. I still want a fluffy gluten-filled biscuit for Christmas breakfast, but I feel satisfied with Cooking2Thrive’s Success, Biscuits!
As the temptations of the holidays abound, I hope you’ll consider that it may take only a small shift in perception to make embracing a gluten-free way of living a piece of cake!
