We ended the day at Washington Square Park. There’s always a motley crew in this park. We entered at one corner and passed a jazz trio meandering in and out of discord, a couple hundred more feet brought us to a punk trio, with their amp out getting ready to rock, couples chatted around the fountain, college kids clustered on the benches smoking cigarettes and eating take-out sushi. We found a spot to let the kids run around as we chatted. I noticed a guy sitting on an apple green blow-up couch behind the bench. Hard to miss. As people were passing he would hold up a big container of cookies and say, “Would you like a cookie? They’re free! They’re fresh. They’re vegan.” A lot of people stopped to take a cookie or two. They’d say, “What are you doing out here?” He’d reply, “Just making friends.” Then he’d go on to ask people’s names and start up brief conversations.

Before too long my kids noticed him too. They wandered over, watching him a little suspiciously. Strangers don’t just offer you free cookies, do they? My four-year-old looked to me first and said, “Can I have a cookie mom?” I nodded, though admittedly I leaned to my husband first and said, “Do you think they’re okay? I mean, he could just be crazy putting weird stuff in cookies to give away for free.” My husband rolled his eyes and said, “I’m sure they’re fine.” As my son approached the guy on the couch said, “I can’t give cookies to people under the age of 16 unless I know it’s okay with their mom or dad.” I spoke up from a few feet away to give the go-ahead as Cole reached up and grabbed a cookie out of the pile. My six-year-old daughter followed suit , then my 18 month-old toddler wandered over to check him out. It took her a few minutes before she decided to get a cookie. First she waved and said hi, then she stared, sucked her thumb, took a pile of his business cards, gave them back, waved again, and finally took a cookie. I grabbed one too at this point. I asked him about his blow-up couch, other passers-by stopped for cookies and from snippets of all the conversations I learned that he’s been doing this for a few weeks, a couple times a week. He tried it in February without the green couch and it didn’t work that well. Yes, he’s made some new friends. That didn’t surprise me; everyone knows chocolate chip cookies are a sure way to open hearts-even if they’re vegan. (Side note, these really were the best vegan treats I’ve had.)

This experience got me thinking, as my time with New Yorkers often does. I’d spent the day sharing time, good food, and conversation with a friend I’ve known since I was twelve. She took a plane, a bus, and a train to come and spend time with us. And at the end of the day we met someone who is giving out free cookies on an inflatable couch, so he can make friends. I don’t know how philosophical I can wax here, but doesn’t there seem to be a cosmic connection? Isn’t it cool that people out there want to make connections? Meet new people? Be friends? Give us cookies? I like it! We need friends; we want to be connected; it’s not really that hard to do and yet it takes some doing.

How have you made your closest friends? How do you keep those friendships thriving? How do you meet new people?

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In fact, I spent a couple of hours last week reading blogs trying to find copycat cookie recipes for some stellar bakeries here in NYC. You can call me silly if you want, but I found it invigorating. I was so anxious to experiment, taste, and share. They turned out FANTASTIC! I always share my recipes. I figure, share the love, none of this keep it secret nonsense. However, you do have to actually follow the recipe, and that includes sifting when it says to sift, and room temperature butter and eggs are not optional if the recipe says “room temperature”. Baking is a science people! Anyway, that’s a tangent for another day. Because I don’t want to scare you away from trying new stuff. I want to remind you that the best way to learn is to do it. I gave an excellently delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe to a friend of mine and she still hasn’t tried it. I asked her, “What in the world are you waiting for?”

“I’m too scared to try it. I’m afraid they won’t turn out as good as yours.” I gave her the recipe THREE YEARS AGO! But fear of failure is a real thing. Whether it be about cookies or something bigger. And here’s where I make my English major leap to an article from the last issue of Segullah, Finding Courage by Nicole Trone. She shares her first experiences as a missionary with a nervous trainer during a steamy Ukraine summer. Go read it and relate. We have to find the courage to overcome things that scare us. We have to admit our fears and face them. The things that follow may be scary, and we may even fail, but we’ll grow; we’ll learn.

The first batch of dark chocolate chocolate chip cookies were over baked and a little too cakey, but next time around I’ll use less baking powder, more soda and bake them less. I only know because I’ve tried. Gotta run, I can smell cinnamon and sugar and yeasty delicious rolls about to be ready in the oven.

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