Before Lent began I asked God to stroll with me into my memory and help me recall people who have – whether they’ve known it or not – participated in my life story. Some of those people planted seeds; others shaped my abilities. Some have known me longer than I’ve know myself; others have opened mind-blowing restaurants and couldn’t pick me out of a crowd. Clearly God has a sense of humour.

Today’s recipient is not a stranger, nor is she only alive in memory. She is not an author or illustrator – she is a very dear friend. She is sitting on the other side of the world so technically she is absent from my day-to-day, regardless of the emoji-heavy texts we exchange from opposite sides of the globe. In my eyes, she is eligible.

So I would like to formally conclude this week’s worth of praise by recognizing the person who spurred me on to abandoning university in the name of pursuing my passion for food and love. She was my catalyst and my enabler.

Dearest Alisha Kusic Adams! My beloved earl-grey-drinking, fuschia-lipstick-wearing West End girl. Thank you for calling my bluff all those years ago when we were prancing around selling stretchy pants* on Robson Street and I said I wanted to be an elementary school teacher. Thank you for gently advising me to honestly assess the state of my heart and step beyond my comfort zone. I cannot imagine how different life would be if I hadn’t been so foolish. Dropping out of university was the best thing I ever did. Just don’t tell my kids that for a good twenty years, okay?

Immense love.

Elissa Joy

*Pants in the North American sense. Don’t get the wrong idea.