Philosophizing on love and travel

Sometimes even a boatload of love can miss the port, or lack good orderly direction (GOD). I've been there. It is frustrating to not make the connection, or not have the right cargo to satisfy the crew. So many people over the holiday feel outside of the "perfect family" we think exists for others. There is an anxious need to swallow more, shop more, do more, and try to fix it or mask it, or deny it.
Anticipating holiday travel reminds me of a saying my ex-husband drilled into our heads: "pick a vegetable and be it." " Do the vegetable", my children would chant. It meant to leave the animal instincts behind for a moment and flow with the salad. I personally would visualize a broccoli... because even steamed they looked good. My eldest just told me he got by by visualizing a cucumber because it was cool and good even when pickled. The above painting has a tomato, once thought to be poisonous because of it's relationship to the deadly nightshade family. Contrary to superstitions, and family trees, when you take a bite out of a tomato, or my hand, and you won't' get sick.