I try to keep personal matters (aside from fun sight-seeing pictures & food!) off of Happy Herbivore because that's not what this site is about. Though now I feel it's time for this out-of-character post.
A year ago my life changed. I was working as a lawyer in California when I was sexually harassed and fired for complaining about it. It also later came out that my boss had only hired me because he wanted to sleep with me. It was devestating as a young female lawyer. Here I thought that I'd earned this job because of my smarts and my talent, but as it turns out, Elle Woods was not so fictional.
The economy was circling the drain, too -- so finding another job was unlikely. Plus without my job, we could no-longer afford to live in our apartment or pay for the car that we'd just bought to get me to and from the job I'd just loss. Scott's employer was also facing financial problems and was planning to lay off some 60 employees. We didn't know on what side of the chopping block Scott would fall and I felt so... hopeless.
Everything in my being told me to run -- to get out of there and in the blink of an eye, I was packing up all our worldly possessions and moving my family home - to New York City.
My somewhat blissful unemployment gave me the chance to focus time on Happy Herbivore -- and write another e-cookbook, Backyard Vegan. The more time I put into Happy Herbivore, the better I felt. In a lot of ways, Happy Herbivore saved me from myself - it was my therapy.
In July I sat, took and passed the New York bar exam. I remember leaving the exam knowing that I passed and that without a shadow of doubt, I never wanted to practice law ever again. I didn't know what I was going to do, but I knew I wanted to help people. I had always wanted to help people.It's why I went to law school though I never seemed to help anyone as a lawyer.
Not too long later my cookbook deal fell into my lap -- in the most unexpected of all circumstances (it is its own story, and a great one). I've since spent all my time funneling my creativity, beliefs and passion into Happy Herbivore -- and my upcoming cookbook.
I don't tell you this story to glean sympathy -- but to tell you thatyes, it's true: when one door closes, another one opens.
In this last year I've been inspired in ways I never thought possible. I've made friends -- really great friends, through Happy Herbivore. I wake up every day thinking I'm the luckiest girl in the world -- and I have you to thank. In my darkest moments, when the pain of what happened was all-consuming it was the sweet emails, thoughtful comments and support you showed me -- the kindness you showed me --that brought me to where I am today. I am on a mission to prove that healthy food tastes just as delicious as it is nutritious. I am finally helping people -- through food, my passion.
In the past I've celebrated my veganniversary by posting a kick-ass recipe. In years past it was the famed carrot cake cupcakes and cheesecake. This year I missed my veganniversary and while that was disappointing, I've realized that really, I didn't miss it. It was just meant for another day. A day more reflective of how being a vegan has changed my life. Today is that day. and tomorrow, I'll post the recipe.
Thank you. Thank all of you -- you inspire me to be.... me.
