04/05/2024
The Beginning of Board & Bread
Life flipped upside down after 15 years as an elementary school teacher turned counselor. Juggling roles as a mom, wife, daughter, sister, and pleaser, I poured my heart into others, leaving little for myself. Despite the stress, I always vowed to keep working, until life had different plans.
The day we moved into our new house, my parents planned to bring us dinner and help unpack. But, tragically, they never made it. My sister called and said that our mom had been taken by ambulance to the emergency room. Her heart had stopped. I dropped everything and jumped in the car to drive the 9 miles to the hospital. But by the time I got there, it was too late. She had died suddenly and unexpectedly. That was it.
From that point on, things changed for me. Not only did I realize life is too short to live my days giving it all away, but I also knew I had to find a healthy way to cope. To grieve. I had to take care of ME for once. So, I ate my words and quit my job. I donโt know about you, but I think change is hard. We moved towns, changed schools, I left my work and my friends, I lost my mom and life was different. I was different. But do you know what stayed the same? My desire to uplift others by serving them, my love of food, and strong belief in its ability to bring people together; my will to make others feel important. Itโs called hospitality and I learned it from my mom. She was the best at this. My mom loved others so well. I remember coming home from college and walking in the front door. She had music playing, the fireplace burning, candles lit, flowers on the table, a plate of cookies on the counter, and homemade soup on the stove. If that doesnโt say, โYou are important and loved,โ I donโt know what does. Fortunately, she and I have a lot in common. So, I found myself in the kitchen. Iโd pour a cocktail, ask Alexa to play Michael Buble, make a charcuterie board, and watch my friends and family gather. They felt important. Their smiles, laughs, ooohs and ahhhs eventually turned into more. โWill you make me a board, Katie?โ friends and family started asking. And I said, โYes.โ
- Katie Henry, Owner/Creator