lonely gluten free moments - that don't need to be

Ok, I know that this image of my brother's dog has little to do with gluten-free anything... but what illustrates sadness like the big brown eyes of a golden retriever puppy?

I've been thinking about the situations in which I haven't felt so full of bravado about living with celiac disease. Examples might include:

• The Awards Dinner - last minute work commitment with no time to prepare. Preset dinner serving over 500 people in a room so big you have no idea where the food is arriving from. Even the vegetables are floating in some kind of "sauce".
  
• The Road Trip - nothing but the same crap highway food for 16 hours. You are tired, hungry and have eaten nothing but potato chips. Being stuck in an airport is a close tie.

Life will deal you some bad days that can't always be avoided... but some situations are made bad, not from lack of planning - but from lack of sensitivity:

• The Dinner Party. You've advised... but they didn't get it (or want to). You find yourself staring at an empty plate.
  
• Ordering In. Everyone is hungry and there is a decision to order take-out. Your needs are diminished with a comment like - "don't worry, I think they make a salad". Meanwhile you watch you friends drool over pizza and lasagna.

What would be really sad, is if we actually thought that such people were our friends. I'm rarely hurt by people's thoughtless behaviour twice... because I don't tolerate it any more than I do the gluten!

Living WELL on a gluten-free diet has a lot more to do with sharing food with people that you enjoy being with - than finding a replacement recipe for cinnamon buns. I'm rarely sad about my diet - and am constantly reminded of how lucky I am to have good friends who consider me as they'd consider themselves. 

May the new year ahead be full of feasts with your real friends.


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