The Influence of my Kitchen by Alex Nagel

The place in my life that has the most influence or spiritual experiences that has greatly impacted my life would be my kitchen at home. In my kitchen life changing decisions are made, secrets are shared, and friends are made. It is also the place that my whole family gathers the most. We fight, argue, laugh, cry, and learn to forgive and love. We grow as an individual and as a family in this room. In the kitchen I learn the most important life lessons. We celebrate birthdays and life accomplishments and mourn the death of loved ones. I’m not sure why but sometimes I just learn to understand life better as if it all comes together. Also the pets are always there with us making us laugh at the funny things they do. Another aspect of this room which just happens to be its function also has greatly influenced my life. When making food it is very interesting how the art of cooking turns into a learning experience not about food but life. While eating dishes from Argentina my grandmother would talk about how she got introduced to the food and then that would lead to stories of old times in Argentina. The classic southern Italian food from my mom’s side of the family is a very big and heavy meal unlike the lighter smaller portion Argentinean food. The food takes us back to our roots and the past and through the stories we learn so much. In our kitchen the experiences are priceless and never forgotten. It is here in my kitchen at home where I get the most spiritual experiences.