My grandmother always used to tell me to not use the word goodbye.
Goodbye, she said, sounded too final, like you would never see each other again.
Better to say, “We’ll see ya,” or “So long for now,” both of which have a more hopeful ring to them, as if that future meeting really will happen.
Her advice echoes in my mind now.
It was December 2006 when my words first appeared in this food section. The Beacon Journal’s former features editor Mitch McKenney decided that he would be willing to take a chance on turning a long-time political writer into the paper’s next food writer.
I think more than one person felt he was crazy for making such a decision.
But I remain forever in his debt for starting me on a career path that is now leading me to places even I could not have imagined.
Taking over this section after more than 25 years of my predecessor, Jane Snow, meant that I had huge shoes to fill. But after my first column was printed, your phone calls and emails made it clear that you too were willing to take a chance on me.
Over the past seven-plus years, I have met so many of you and we have laughed together and cooked together, and I’ll admit it, shared a few flops together.
My motto from the beginning was to “always have fun in the kitchen,” and I’d like to think we accomplished that. I truly believe the kitchen is the heart of the home and whether you use it to prepare gourmet meals or reheat last night’s pizza delivery, we should never ignore the importance of coming together to break bread as family.
I have shared my stories with you and you have embraced not only me, but my family members who unwittingly (and sometimes unwillingly) found themselves appearing in this column. I’ll never forget the time I was trying to explain to a reader that accepting gifts was really against company policy, to which she replied: “It’s for your mother.”
But you have sent gifts for me too — recipes, vintage menus, cookbooks, antique aprons and foodstuffs of all varieties. I can tell you that many, gratefully, found their way into my collections.
You have indulged my causes and patiently listened to me preach about them, especially how much I hate it when food is wasted (something else I learned from my grandmother). And speaking of causes, this is my final plea: Please Akron City Council, get moving and let food trucks in!
I have told everyone I know that I have the best job in the world and that I would either retire from it or die trying.
But now, an unexpected opportunity has presented itself and I have made the difficult decision to leave the Beacon Journal. It seems somehow fitting that my next venture coincides with the beginning of Lent, a season of spiritual transformation. This is my last week at this newspaper.
I leave my name at the end of a not-too-long list of women who have done this job before me: Glenna Snow, Polly Paffilas, Charlene Nevada, Connie Bloom and Jane Snow.
Someday, I hope soon, someone else’s name and face will appear in this food section. I trust that you will be just as gracious with this person as you were with me, as he or she comes to realize that this is one of the best jobs in the world.
For now, I will follow my grandmother’s advice and not say goodbye.
I remain a faithful fan of the Akron Beacon Journal, and an even bigger fan of its readers. I am confident that some day we will see each other again, so I’ll just say, “We’ll see ya.”
Until that time, remember to always have fun in the kitchen, just like we always did together.
Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa. But make sure you do it by Friday!