Another semester down only a handful more to go...hopefully? It seems that after every round of finals they get more and more anticlimactic. I remember after finals in high school my friends and I would be so so happy. Maybe it was our innocence? Or lack of experience? Who knows, anyhow I'm sure all students can relate and understand the feeling of mental and physical exhaustion afterwards.
During the school semester it's obvious and natural that you interact with different and new people on a daily basis.
So...you know when you meet a new person for the first time and
the conversation is pleasant, the two of you get on well and
naturally/eventually the both of you need to eat or get a drink. Casually the
non-gfree-er suggests Italian food or burgers or some other gluten laden fast
food joint and you’re thinking “Shoot! Uhhh how do I decline nicely?!... Should
I just repeat the same memorized gfree speech that I usually say?”
It’s okay, no worries, never fear! This is what I do(and maybe it can help you).
I explain that I have Celiac’s Disease, that I have a
food allergy. Plain and simple then I suggest somewhere that is similar, but somewhere
I know I
can eat something. Usually the non-gfree-er is willing to compromise. Since gluten intolerance is becoming more prevalent more people are aware of an
gluten free diet and occasionally are even intrigued to know more about it!
In the past I have met people who have absolutely NO idea what being allergic to gluten means. Even after breaking down the allergy into the most simplest terms it seems to boggle their minds. They even rub it in your face when their about to chow down on an uber juicy hamburger or a delicious looking slice of pizza. So you just sit there across the table looking jealously as they dig into whatever they want to eat because they don't have an allergy like you do.
I use to feel sorry for myself and unlucky, that I couldn't enjoy a bowl of pasta or a piece of chocolate cake. But I've come to realize that having a pity party about things you cannot control does not help the situation or anything in life for that matter.
We are lucky enough to live in a time where there are gluten free alternatives to pretty much anything. There's no reason to feel sorry for yourself. NO PITY PARTIES.
So now when I sit across the table with my non g-free friends and they ask if I'm "Jealous?" I say "No, I'm Good" and I mean it. I know that even if the food I'm eating isn't as delicious as their's, I can go home and cook myself a gfree version of the meal and be content and happy with that.
Life is too short to spend thinking about the "What if's" or "If only...". Enjoy life and do what you want with what you have.
Xoxo,
~ T
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