INBOX Peta LETTER OF THE MONTH
Something you read in MiNDFOOD got you thinking? We’d love to hear your thoughts, suggestions and views. You can email us at inboxau@mindfood.com
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
Wow ... 13 years from go to now! Congratulations for providing MiNDFOOD and its wonderful articles. The long bookmarks are genius. I love the variety of puzzles and having more than one Mega Cross ... bliss! Puzzles are a delight. Cheralyn
CAKE EXPECTATIONS
Your floral-themed cake recipes (‘Say It With Flowers’, April issue) arrived at the perfect time. There was great debate in my household as to which cake should be made first. We decided on the beautiful Lavender Dream cake for my daughter’s 13th birthday party. It was a hit with her friends, who enjoyed ‘high tea’ in the backyard. Next up is the Mint Cake for Easter Sunday. My mouth is already watering at the thought of it!
LANGUAGE OF ADOPTION
Firstly, congratulations on the mag baby becoming a teenager: happy 13 to you, too!
I look forward to MiNDFOOD as it’s one of my favourite magazines. It appeals to women who want to see more than fashion and food.
The reason I wanted to reach out to you was the feature article on Michelle Pfeiffer (‘Love Comes First’, April). One of the paragraphs in the story describes her family composition. I noticed the following: “their two offspring: adopted daughter Claudia Rose, 28, and biological son, John Henry, 26”.
As someone who is an adoptive mum herself, I am a strong advocate of Positive Adoption Language. In the adoptive community, we work hard on educating publishing houses and
What a joy to read your editorial in the April issue and your trip down memory lane to your 13-year-old self! It certainly was one of the most inspiring editorials I’ve read.
And I’m sure I’m not the only reader who was prompted to join you and travel back in time and wonder about what life had in store for us back then.
What were our dreams for the future? What was it that brought us contentment and perhaps lit the flames of a passion that would lead to career choices later on?
You certainly have much to be proud of, and as MINDFOOD magazine celebrates 13 years in publication, I wish you and all the team many more reasons to celebrate in the future.
I especially enjoyed Cat Rodie’s April article, ‘Lockdown Vs The Great Aussie Spirit’.
Many of the kindnesses shown during the recent tough COVID-19 lockdowns, particularly here in Melbourne, should make us all proud to be Aussies.
While these were dark and depressing weeks for many people and their families, there was always someone who’d find a creative, fun way to bring a little light into those dark places, bring a smile to faces
writers to look up Positive Adoption Language when talking about the same. Adoption is an event and not a label or definition.
It is not a lifelong tag that children need to carry as that tends to label them and takes away from their individual identities.
The preferred way to phrase it could be “they are adoptive parents of .... and have a biological son”. Or “they brought home their elder and hearts, and help remind us that even in our shut-down worlds, there is always something to make hearts sing again.
For me, it was the sight of an elderly lady in the supermarket clearly struggling with the loneliness and the isolation of it all, sobbing because she couldn’t find anyone to come and mow her lawn.
Then along came an angel, a young staff member who’d heard her crying, and told her he’d be delighted to mow her lawn for her.
There were more tears, but happy ones.
And then there was the owner of a coffee shop who gave an elderly couple who’d been regular customers for many years a large box of chocolates with their takeaway coffees. More smiles and tears.
Let’s hope all the acts of kindness we witnessed during those difficult months will continue long after COVID-19 fades from our radar, and being kind to one another is a fixture in life.
Aussies are a resilient ‘can-do’ bunch, but what makes Australians even more special is the way that in hard times, if there’s a way to pitch in and help a mate in need, then they’ll find it.
And do it with a smile. Judith daughter ... through adoption”. I sincerely hope you will take time to consider this and use this opportunity to sensitise your team. Radhika