I first encountered arepas in the fall of 2017, a few years after moving to Canada. It was then that my love affair with this delectable South American flatbread, as Wikipedia calls it, began. Coincidentally, around the same time, my husband and I were introduced to my now-dear friend, “W,” for insurance purposes. During our initial conversation, I learned that W was originally from Venezuela and, to my delight, knew how to make arepas! The planets had aligned. I knew I had found someone who could not only introduce me to this mouthwatering bread but also, on occasion, cook it for me. And I was right!
If I had to describe W, I'd say he is one of the kindest, most compassionate people I've ever met. He is the gentlest man, all six-foot-something of him, I have ever encountered. Beyond his kindness and compassion, W is an excellent listener with a knack for offering solutions that perfectly suit his clients' needs without ever being pushy. Fortunately, my husband and I know W beyond his professional achievements. We have had the privilege of knowing him and his equally wonderful wife, "L".
Between W and L, it's hard to say who is kinder and more compassionate. These two incredible people are filled with selfless love for their family, friends, and community. Their story of hard work, grit, and determination is both inspiring and uplifting.
But back to the star of this blog post – the arepa! I had casually mentioned to W that my husband and I had tried arepas once and absolutely loved them. I didn't even ask him to cook them for us. However, a few days later, W invited us for an early supper at his home. That evening was the first of many, many more evenings filled with delicious food, warm conversation, and, of course, arepas.
W and L fill our lives with so much love through their friendship. We have been treated to their delicious arepas on numerous occasions, and L even packs some for us to take home for breakfast the next day.
Two years ago, when I was dealing with the worst phase of my life after the death of my beloved niece and my only sister, I found myself unable to socialize. All I wanted to do was withdraw from the world. I wanted to disappear. W and L knew I was battling depression. They didn't pressure me to see them, yet they were always there for me, for us. They offered support through text messages, Zoom calls, and phone calls.
And during that dark time, one morning my doorbell rang. As I opened the door, I found a tray of piping hot arepas left for us. W waved from the parking lot, indicating the gift was from them. It was a tangible expression of his and L's love and support.
Today, I am in a better place mentally. Last evening, W and L invited my husband and I for a Christmas meal in their lovely home. There, among other delicious dishes, I saw a bowl piled high with steaming arepas. It was a heartwarming reminder of our love for each other, our friendship that has now spanned over seven years, and the incredible blessing that W and L have been in our lives.
Of course, we couldn't finish all the arepas last night, so, as always, L packed some for us. We had a wonderful breakfast this morning.
We cannot thank our beautiful friends enough for their kindness and for their presence in our lives. They say friends are the family we choose. And we will choose W and L again and again and again!
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