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    Home » Soul Nourishment

    Jun 29, 2020 · Modified: Jun 2, 2021 by Lily · This post may contain affiliate links.

    The Time it Took to Put on Shoes

    I was heading to the Galleria, and on my way out the door, I asked my little brother, Jason, if he wanted to join me. His eyes lit up, and he told me to wait just a minute so he could put his shoes on. He ran to his room, grabbed his shoes, put them on, and then we headed out the door.

    My car at the time was a little bit old. If the car wasn't moving, it would start to overheat. It was one of those hot summer Texas months. We were driving onto the freeway then ended up in bumper-to-bumper parking lot traffic. As in, the cars DID NOT MOVE.

    About ½ mile in the distance, I saw a large fire and a helicopter circling about. I had no clue what was going on except the fact that the traffic was not moving anywhere.

    Well, we sat there for 4.5 hours! To make matters worse, my car overheated, so we had to sit in the car without AC.

    I was feeling so upset. Once we got out of that traffic, I planned to just head back home because I was tired, sweaty and wasted a practically good summer day sitting in traffic.

    Once the cars started moving, we drove past the accident. An 18 wheeler had smashed into a car, and the car had caught on fire. Because of the fire, it was impossible to determine what kind of car it was.

    I later found out that there was a woman driving the car, and she had died in the accident. She was a wife and mother to 2 small children. The accident occurred in the same lane I was driving, about 2 minutes ahead of me.

    It was about the same 2 minutes that it took for Jason to go grab his shoes and put them on.

    Luckily the women's children were not in the car with her at the time of the accident. In fact, she had just dropped them off. But still, they lost their mother.

    As I sat in my car upset about being overheated, a family lost their mother, wife, and friend. 

    This experience happened to me about 18 years ago, and I still remember it vividly. I walked away from the situation startled and sad. Now as a mother, I can't imagine what the family must have gone through.

    When I think about this memory now, I feel so much gratitude for life. I hope that I can appreciate every moment that I have and not take time for granted.

    I hope that I can appreciate the lazy mornings cuddling with my daughter, the feeling of "home" with my husband, the obnoxious family video calls where everyone is talking at the same time, the laughter from my witty sarcastic friends, and the time I have to work on my passion projects The Matbakh.

    It's so weird how different things would be if my brother already had his shoes on.

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    About Lily

    Howdy! My name Lilian, but my friends call me Lily. I'm the founder and one of the recipe authors here at The Matbakh. I enjoy sunsets, long walks on the beach, meaningful relationships, and anything related to food. I'm so happy you are here!

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    Hi, I'm Lily!

    toddler lily using her kitchen set

    I've been cooking things up ever since I was a kid. I'm a Lebanese American from Texas. My kitchen, or "matbakh", is a hodgepodge of delicious cultural recipes from the US and Mediterranean regions.

    More about me

    Quick & Easy Desserts

    • Lazy Cake
    • Cookie Dough Date Balls
    • Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats
    • The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies (Freezer-Friendly)

    Vegan Smoothies

    • Pineapple Kiwi Green Smoothie
    • Blueberry Kale Banana Smoothie
    • Strawberry Banana Pineapple Smoothie
    • Strawberry Pomegranate Smoothie

    Middle Eastern Desserts

    • Aish El Saraya - Ashta With Sweetened Bread
    • Pistachio Tahini Halva
    • Mafroukeh Pistachio Dessert With Cream
    • How To Make Baklava Rolls
    • Date Ma'amoul Mad Bars
    • Riz Bi Haleeb - Rose Water Rice Pudding
    • Qatayef Stuffed Pancakes (Walnuts or Cheese)
    • Basbousa Semolina Cake
    • Date Filled Cookie Bracelets - Ka'ak Asawer
    • Homemade Turkish Delight (Raha)

    Lebanese Recipes

    • Meghli Lebanese Caraway Pudding
    • Lebanese Chicken and Rice (Riz a Djej)
    • Lebanese Seven Spices Blend
    • Namoura Syrup-Soaked Semolina Cake
    • Sfouf Turmeric Cake
    • Kibbeh Labanieh (Kibbeh Balls In Yogurt)
    • Kafta
    • Potato Kibbeh (Kibbet Batata)
    • Kousa Mahshi Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini
    • Fried Kibbeh Balls
    • Beef Sambousek
    • Zaatar Manakeesh Flatbread

    Mediterranean Faves

    • Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
    • Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks In Foil Packets
    • Sautéed Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp
    • Egyptian Koshari Recipe (The Best I've Had)
    • Oven Broiled Lamb Kabobs
    • Killer Lebanese Fattoush Salad
    • Bulgar Tabouli Salad
    • How To Make Labneh From Milk
    • Easy Spanakopita (Greek Spinach And Feta Pie)
    • Creamy Vitamix Chickpea Hummus (Easy & Authentic)

    Family-Style Recipes

    • Ricotta and Sausage Baked Ziti
    • Steelhead Trout with Garlic Lime Butter Sauce
    • Harissa Lamb Chili With Couscous
    • Blanched Asparagus With Garlic Aioli
    • 20 Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
    • Easy Ground Lamb Shepherd's Pie
    • Baked Chicken Thighs and Turmeric Basmati Rice
    • Chipwich Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich

    Kid Favorites

    • Crispy Pita Bread Pizza
    • Chipwich Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich
    • Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
    • Slow Cooker Meat Spaghetti Sauce
    • Butter Roasted Baby Gold Potatoes
    • Italian Stuffed Zucchini in Tomato Sauce

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