Beet Party Salad with Lentils + Pine Nuts

“There is an innocence in admiration:

it occurs in one who has not yet realized that they might one day be admired”     ~ Friedrich Nietzche

Photo Credit: diah0089.blogspot.com

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Over the past few years, I’ve done my best to jump on board, figure it out, keep it in perspective, and make it feel like a comfortable place to be.  But inevitably (if I'm not careful), in the wee hours of the morning, I’ll find myself hopelessly lost on the internet

I've always been a creature of the night, finding the hours when everyone else is asleep, and the house is quiet, the most peaceful and productive time of the day.

While usually, I know better, while usually, I use these hours wisely, while usually, I spend them writing, ending the day with my own thoughts, my own direction, my own path, my own prayers, sometimes I'll catch myself doing something else instead

I'll click to social media (just a few minutes to see pictures of my grandson) and quickly find myself  taking in images of

everyone else

Could it really be true?

Somehow they've discovered the secrets to living soulful lives filled with friends, family, adventures, and pets that never throw up on the carpet.  They're living in amazing houses, and are full of wisdom, which they share in witty comments on everyone else's pictures and posts.

They make exotic superfood-filled smoothies for their husbands on hot summer days, and homemade gluten-free Play-Doh for their children (or grandchildren).  They're the epitome of zen, have well-behaved teenagers, their skinny jeans always zip, and they handle all sorts of conflicts with impeccable

style and grace

Photo Credit: Instagram – @itsdougthepug

“This is a curated version of their life.  No one has it all.  You know this”

I close my laptop

“But maybe it really IS true.  Their lives are perfect.  They're perfect.”

And slowly make my way to bed

What I've come to realize, is that if I absorb enough of it, no matter what I intellectually know to be true, I'll feel a shift in my spirit. Before long, I'll realize that I've started to believe the subtle lie that everyone has it all figured out but me

“I know this; truly I know this.”

(Why is it so hard to believe)

Step away from the screen

Maybe it's wisdom that comes with age, but lately, I've noticed in myself a deepening admiration for many of the people around me. I'm constantly surprised and amazed by stories of their lives, and the incredible things they've done

They haven't worried about the draws of the world, crafting a perfectly orchestrated picture, pithy response, or how many the cheers (and likes) they get from the crowd.  Instead, they've quietly gone about building beautiful and authentic lives that are perfect for them.

She was born in India to a family of incredible privilege.  There was never a question she'd have a comfortable life, with a high-paying job waiting for her (if she'd wanted to work), hired help to respond to every whim, and a carefully chosen upper-class husband

Instead, do you know what she decided to do?  She packed two suitcases, boarded a plane, and came to the U.S. to go to college. At eighteen, she found herself all alone in a foreign country.  A short, brown woman (as she refers to herself), with no friends or family to lean on

She went on to earn her Ph.D., become a pharmaceutical professor and wrote the textbooks students learn from today.  In the meantime, she met and married her husband, with whom she raised a very accomplished daughter.

Forty + years have passed, and she's lived a quiet, prosperous, happy, and peaceful life.

“I didn't want comfortable.  I didn't want servants.  I wanted to be my own person.  Find my own way.” 

Photo Credit: Instagram – @Gretchen Roehrs

Last weekend at a dinner party I sat completely mesmerized as she talked.  How many years had we been friends and this was the first time she'd shared the breadth of her back-story.  Certainly, I was captivated by her words, but underneath I caught glimmers of

something else

While she spoke, I could tell she had no regrets.  She'd built a life that was perfect for her.  Her hands flapped wildly as she spoke of it, a certain buoyancy filling in each word.  Her smile traveled up into her eyes, and her entire face

lit up

You know what's extra cool about the story?

Because she followed the call of her heart, she set the example for her three younger sisters.  All of whom followed her lead, each in their own way.  One went on to become a provost at a major university here in the U.S., another started a family in Australia with the man she loves, and the third is a widely known performer in India.

And just for the smallest of seconds, I couldn't help but want to turn back time, pack a couple of suitcases of my own and start over somewhere else.  Maybe this might have been the right path for me too.

But it wasn't; the story is hers.  A gem of a gift she holds inside.  I hope she has the level of admiration and respect for herself that I do for her

I love these stories from people who listened to their gut.  Following the faintest of whispers from their inner voice, decisions that propelled them on an entirely different trajectory

I sat back and listened while she was answered everyone's questions.  How she'd built a career, family, and wonderful circle of friends.

That the culture, the family, and the circumstances she was born into weren't her destiny.  The capacity from which she was expected to serve the world and shine her particular light.  She will be <fill-in-the-blank>.  Yes, this is right

And instead, she said, No, this isn't right.

The whispers from your gut aren't about a profession, a career, or a life chosen for you by someone else.  Instead, they're your character; they're who you are.  They're what you treasure, what you practice, and the fruits you produce.

Last night as I sat on the sofa with a kitty snuggled in beside, curiosity got the best of me, and I clicked.  Certainly, there were pictures of others, and they were still beautiful and fun.

But this time looking at them felt somehow different.  That the perfect-for-them, or perfect, or wrong, or wrong-for-her, or perfect for him, or perfect-for-me, or wrong-for-all, didn't seem to matter much anymore

Instead, I thought of her and remembered the places from which I choose to draw on for inspiration

Nicely done my friend; so nicely done(!)

The next time you're in need of a salad, this is a recipe to have close to the top of your list

It's a bit of extra effort (not much), but the combination of both raw and roasted beets makes it special.  The flavors of oranges, fresh parsley, and pine nuts bring elements of the unexpected, with tastes that feel fresh and alive.

Black lentils for texture, protein, and fiber.

Enjoy!

xoxo

~ Adapted from My New Roots: Inspired Plant-Based Recipes for Every Season by Sarah Britton