Yhem Speaks

Some days, the most honest question isn’t what do I want to eat?
It’s what do I have the energy to think about?

That’s how I ended up eating rice again.

Rice is the simplest go-to food. The one thing many people have at home, even when everything else feels undecided. A bag tucked in the cupboard or a container sitting on the counter. They are dependable stores we rarely think twice about because we know there’s food stored in them.

One thing I like about rice is that it never stays the same. You can eat it in so many ways. On days I want to try something different, I open YouTube and watch someone turn it into something new; stir-fried rice, egg rice, jollof rice, fried rice, stew and rice or even one-pot rice with whatever vegetables are left.

There’s always a way to stretch it, soften it, dress it up, or keep it plain. Rice meets you where you are tired, hopeful, rushed, or unbothered.

I think we women understand this kind of thinking deeply. The way our minds move through the house without us even noticing. The way we plan meals while thinking about tomorrow, money, time, and energy all at once. Sometimes while standing in the kitchen, sometimes while doing something else entirely.

We don’t just cook food; we manage systems.
We think ahead. We adjust. We make simple calculations so things don’t fall apart.

Repetition helps us survive that management.

Knowing what works.
Knowing what will be eaten.
Knowing what won’t waste effort on days we’re already carrying enough emotionally and mentally.

Repetition isn’t a lack of creativity. It’s about efficiency and care. It’s choosing ease in a world that keeps asking us to do more, be more, and still make it look effortless.

Rice is never the wrong answer. It’s not the meal you overthink. It’s the one you trust.

So yes, I ate rice again.

I haven’t run out of ideas; I just know what keeps my day on track. For most days, that’s enough.

With Stories Always,

Yhem💕