When All Else Fails: Oatmeal

This is not completely related to writing, but well-being, which has a relationship with writing since writing adds to our sense of well-being and can diminish it when the writing isn't going well.

So, OATMEAL. The steel cut variety. It takes a little longer to cook and a little more love in the morning, but you taste that love when you sit to prepare for the day ahead, whether it's writing, cutting down trees or heading off for another day of teaching a tough room of lovable teens.

Last week I went to my regular doctor checkup and went through the normal coughing, breathing, staying still (I still get wiggly), and then going through the blood test results. Lo and behold, the cholesterol was up.

Any change in your diet? the doctor asked.

I don't know, I said and thought for a moment and then said, Oatmeal!

Oatmeal?

Yeah, I stopped eating oatmeal for breakfast for some reason.

A ha! That must be it. I'm giving you a prescription for a bowl of oatmeal each morning with fruits and nuts.

And so, most days it's pouring a little love into the steel cut oats.

As a result, I have noticed some increase in my writing productivity, creativity, and general writing health. Go Oatmeal!