I am so excited because Libby Higham, one of our team of registered dietitians, is the author of today’s blog!  I hope you will enjoy it.

On Christmas Eve, many years ago, my little sister and I awoke to a “Ho-ho-ho!” from the living room.  Together, we crept out of bed, snuck down the hallway, and peeked over the balcony onto the most peculiar scene.  To our astonishment, we saw none other than Santa Clause, stuffing our stockings and munching on our carefully decorated Christmas cookies.  In an instant, all doubts about the Jolly Old Elf’s existence were gone- truly, Santa was REAL!  Several weeks later, my mother got a call from the school principal.  My tiny little sister had taken on the responsibility to correct any Santa-doubters, and gotten into a fist-fight with a boy twice her size who claimed Santa was just “make believe.”  Outraged, (and a little humiliated), my little sister was instructed by the principal to never stand for “truth” with such force again.

Truth takes many forms: cold hard facts, personal integrity, honesty, loyalty, sincerity, and so on.  Of the “4 BE’s” taught to me as a young girl (BE positive, BE True, BE smart, and BE grateful), being true is perhaps the most difficult.  As demonstrated by my little sister, standing for truth requires conviction; unfortunately, a quality that often fades with the arrival of adulthood.

You may remember that, as small children, the line between truth and falseness, right and wrong, was blatant and bright.  As adults, this line is sometimes blurry.  Over time, we come to recognize that in some situations it is inconvenient and uncomfortable to stand for truth.  In adulthood, we tamper with falsities- ignoring our true potential, telling (seemingly innocent) white lies, dabbling in surface-level platitudes, and rejecting unflattering or harsh realities.  Gradually and ever so subtly, our decisions lead us away from a life of truth, our true identity swept away.

To combat the confusion in our murky world, society recommends to simply “Be true to yourself!”  This statement is such a cliché.  Nothing is more annoying and more false than the individual who claims they are being true to themselves by ignoring their true potential- “I’m just an angry person- It’s who I am!” or “I’m an addict, but it’s too hard to change. This must be who I was meant to be.” These aren’t truths- they are excuses.  Do not accept the lie that you cannot change or are “destined” to be miserable.  I would like to rephrase the old cliché to say instead, be true to your true potential!

All of us have within us inborn tendencies and weaknesses that distract us from our full potential.    Because we are only human, I urge you to look at yourself as God would look at you- through His eyes. See your true potential; not who you are today.  All of us are capable of goodness, truth, and overcoming temptation as we turn to a higher power.

The truth is, life will be difficult some days.  And more often than not, the truth is a hard pill to swallow. Still, I urge you to be true:

  • Set goals for yourself
  • Refrain from gossip
  • Really listen! Strive to truly understand others and their perspective.
  • Do not deny others forgiveness
  • Ask for forgiveness
  • Be fair and avoid passing judgment on others
  • Do not seek praise or fame for your actions- do good unto others simply because…
  • Put yourself in good situations
  • Take responsibility for your actions; good or bad
  • Be authentic- strive to be the same person, even when no one is watching
  • Return borrowed items promptly and in better condition
  • Honor your promises
  • Be a good friend
  • Pay your debts
  • Do something challenging every day
  • Laugh

Turkey Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash is a truly simply and nutritious take on classic comfort food!  I am confident both you and your family will love it.