For a variety of reasons [1], I am deeply fond of foods that have cheese in them. After having been deprived of cheese for most of my time in Thailand (so much so that every time I had cheese I blogged about it), it was little surprise that when I came back to the United States that among the first things I did, even before falling asleep, was going with a friend of mine to Five Guys and having a cheeseburger with extra cheese [2]. Whether we are dealing with cheese bread, chicken parmesan, motzarella cheese sticks or cheesecake, I am very fond of cheese, and very obviously so. So, when I found out a few days ago while wasting my time on Facebook relaxing in the evening that today was National Cheesecake Day, it was pretty inevitable that I would enjoy it even though I must admit that I had never heard of such a day before (although, to be fair, there are a lot of days for everything). After all, I do like to show appreciation for cheesecake.

It is easy to show appreciation for things like cheesecake and related foods. One can eat them (although they are often very rich and full of calories), one can write about them, one can rsvp for events that celebrate them or share pictures of them and stories about them with friends. While some people might find it rather odd to appreciate food often, and while there are side effects to enjoying food too much, it is an interest that many people can appreciate and that will generally not attract a great deal of hostility. It is true that the side effects of being a gourmand may attract a great deal of hostile commentary, but the enjoyment of food, especially in moderation, is something that will not attract as much hostility as other interests. In that way, one can express an admiration of a type of food (like chocolates, for example) in much the same way as writing about music or art or literature. To be sure, not everyone will share our tastes, but we do not have to try very hard to legitimize our interests or work hard to defend them in the face of hostile inquiry.

Although cheesecake cannot feel appreciation, and often the art and literature that we appreciate is made by people who are too remote and too far from us for them to feel any warmth from our admiration or take any cheer from our respect and regard, human beings have a great need to feel appreciated. For a variety of reasons [3] today was a particularly stressful day. My boss’ boss, someone with whom I have very little personal interaction aside from polite pleasantries (as her office is near mine), occasionally goes out to get food and will bring me the occasional item, like a crossiant or cookie. Today, she asked what kind of cookie I wanted and remembered that I like oatmeal raisin cookies. To be sure, there are things that I appreciate other than food, and sometimes people remember those things as well (books, for example, are something that people often recognize that I appreciate, as is obvious by the large number of books that people loan or give me with the expectations of an appreciative review).

It is not always easy to show appreciation to others in the way that would make them feel appreciated. Some people do not like to be written about publicly (which is part of the hazard of being close to a prolific and public writer sometimes), and others do not like to have their family written about in such a way that others can figure out who is being discussed. Yet for everyone who finds public and open appreciation a bit embarrassing, there are others who do not seem to recognize appreciation at all. For example, I know a very dear little girl who I love and appreciate very much, and who is very sweet and somewhat somber and serious for a three year old. Although she is very loveable and sweet, she seems not to always recognize how appreciated she is. When she is feeling particularly ignored, especially when her mother is not around in a social occasion, she will often sit miserably by herself and mope until her mother comes back to give her some more hugs. Sometimes we remain the same, in our own quietly withdrawn ways, when we are far older, and when appreciation becomes a far more complicated matter, even if we never seem to overcome needing to be appreciated and loved altogether, part of what makes us human, I suppose.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/comfort-foods/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/some-things-are-better-together/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/you-are-what-you-eat/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/italian-food-night/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/05/16/farang-food/

[2] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/09/25/the-longest-day/

[3] For example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2014/07/26/the-lonely-island/