For starters, we were in the midst of all those amazing Peter Max paintings. I grew up on that work. It helped shape me, as it did many people of my generation. And there I was, surrounded by it. Peter’s beautiful wife, Mary, a true champion of compassionate living, introduced the evening which benefitted the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food.

Its director, Amie Hamlin, talked about the work of the Coalition to get junk food out of the public and schools and have the option of a plant-based entree available for students who want that. Then I talked a little bit about the message of the book, about how it’s a way to change from the inside so using food as a drug is no longer necessary. And then, once you have the power of choice, to make choices that are loving — to yourself, others, and the planet. It’s simple, but it saved my life and I hope it will do the same for people who read it.

Here’s what I learned tonight:

(1) I do have a charmed life. I can seem to lose it when I don’t allow for the ebbs and flows, the low times and the disappointments. They’re part of the whole. The more I focus on the magical and the less I focus on the rest (even though “the rest” may well have to be dealt with), the more taken I am with the whole package.

(2) People can be incredibly kind, generous, and supportive. This event happened because of the goodwill of Peter and Mary Max; the going-beyond-the-call service of an outstanding event planner, Lisa Bradley; music from the fabulous Bob Miles Trio (he’s a noted guitarist who’s all over PBS); food from Candle 79 and Angelica’s Kitchen, two of the best vegetarian restaurants in New York City, pastries from noted chef Fran Costigan, and vegan ice cream from Stogo. Beautiful, reusable gift bags handmade from fabric scraps were donated by Bags for the People. And some of the dearest people in my life were there: my husband and daughter, and some of my best friends. I want to simplify my life so I’ll be more available to be kind, generous, and supportive of others.

(3) Miracles happen every day, and sometimes they happen for me. This is the third life for The Love-Powered Diet. It was first published in 1992; revised and updated and republished by another publishing house in 1997: and it’s now been revised and updated once again with a new publisher. This may not be a miracle of the parting-the-Red-Sea caliber, but it’s pretty remarkable. Books usually don’t get reissued even once, much less twice. I have to remember how many miracles (okay, to any pragmatists out there: amazing things) happen in my life instead of focusing on what I want that hasn’t happened yet. 

(4) Things work out. If you read this blog on Wednesday, you know that we had an invitation snafu and the vast majority got caught in spam filters. No one realized that until Tuesday night, so we scrambled to invite people one at a time. It was so late that there was a smaller turnout that we’d have had otherwise, but that meant there was time to really be with the people who were there. I listened to people’s names and learned them. I found out about their work and their causes. And there was plenty of ice cream for all.