The Crockpot Chronicles

A story of love, crime, and fate

Gracious reader,

About a month ago, I told my husband, Kian, I was getting him a present.

“What are you getting me?” he inquired.

“A crockpot,” I told him matter-of-factly.

Nonplussed, he protested: “But I don’t want a crockpot.”

He had a point. Our temporary living quarters during our home renovation don’t lend themselves to additional appliances. More than that, though, he also just flat-out didn’t want one.

“Oh, but you do,” I told him.

I love to cook, and one of my favorite things to make (and devour!)—especially on these crisp, autumnal days—is wholesome bone broth. I use broth to make endless batches of soups but also enjoy it on its own with a dash of salt and butter. Despite my husband loving and enjoying the benefits of the soups I make, it’s a constant source of tension in my marriage when my bone broth simmers over and makes a mess on our difficult-to-clean Italian gas range.

I explained why a crockpot was a win-win situation: it would allow me to make broth to my heart’s content—and mess-free!

My husband remained unconvinced. He didn’t want one, even if it meant that he continued to clean up the occasional mess on the stove from excitable broth bubbles.

I can take a hint. No crockpot materialized.

St. Crock Pot in Orange by Jennie Trail Schaeffer

The Plot Thickens

Several weeks ago, we woke up on a Sunday morning and realized that our home had been burgled in the middle of the night. Someone entered our home and robbed us while my family and I were all asleep.

Then, last week, we woke up and noticed our car had been stolen.

We suspect it might be the same people involved, as neither crime against our family was very sophisticated. During the home burglary, all that was taken was my husband’s Xbox—and our fridge and car had been rummaged through. I suppose petty crime causes one to work up an appetite.

After it was stolen, the thief drove the car around our neighborhood, apparently unbothered by the prospect of getting caught, as the car had been spotted several times within blocks of our home.

Then, last Saturday evening, our car was found by state troopers a few days after it was stolen, literally a few blocks from our home and parked in front of what we assume was the perpetrator’s apartment complex. (In case you’re wondering, this, for me, was the highlight of the Taylor Swift concert in Indianapolis. It meant that there was ample law enforcement about town without much to do. Several of them decided to hunt down our car. Thank you, Trooper Menendez!)

Again, not a very sophisticated criminal. We were glad to have our car back even if it was a little worse for wear—and even if the thief had disposed of our three children’s car seats, which was honestly the most vexing part of the entire affair! I don’t wish on anyone the vexatious endeavor of installing infant car seats. If you know, you know.

All’s Well That Ends Well

Completely uninterested in the car (Indianapolis Metropolitan police apparently have bigger fish to fry than car thieves), Trooper Menendez said to us, “Whatever you find in the car is yours.”

“Or, you’re welcome to empty the junk out and leave it all on the sidewalk in front of the thief’s home for all we care,” her partner offered.

Our kids were with us, and it was late. We drove the car home, where we then assessed the contents and any damage inside.

We discovered inside miscellaneous items that made us think the thief had worked up an appetite looting a Goodwill: lottery tickets, a burner phone (which the police took), half-eaten pizza, athleisure clothes, boots, glassware wrapped in newspaper, and random trash.

But there was one other item inside the car, too.

It was a brand-new crockpot.

“The Lord works in mysterious ways,” I said to my husband. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

With the right eyes and mindset, there is a silver lining in everything, isn’t there?

**[NOTE: Crime is serious. It was jarring and unnerving to have our privacy and home invaded over the last few weeks. It’s been upsetting—on top of the stresses of having two toddlers, a newborn, and completing our home renovation—and has left me frustrated and angry at the world. My husband is good at reminding me that we can’t let random, one-off experiences cloud our view of the world or humanity in general. We’ve lived in our neighborhood for five years and haven’t had so much as an Amazon package stolen. And then this happens twice in two weeks. We can’t let one-off (or even two-off!) experiences with bad people cause us to assume all people are bad.

I don’t mean to make light of crime in the levity of this post, but instead of cowering in fear, our family has chosen to laugh at the absurdity of these unfortunate events.

As Abraham Lincoln is thought to have said, I laugh because I must not cry, that is all, that is all.]**

The Family Reunion by Doris Lee

Don’t let politics come between your relationships

In the wake of the election, I was disappointed to see Yale psychiatrist Dr. Amanda Calhoun tell MSNBC that it was ‘essential’ for viewers to cut off Trump-voting loved ones, and to be around them or speak to them during the holidays.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, remember that friendships and family relationships matter more than politics. Consider buying a copy of The Soul of Civility, now on sale for HALF PRICE on Amazon, as a gift for your loved one with whom you might have strained relationships, and invite them to read it with you.

And don’t forget to enjoy the FREE e-book I wrote for you on how to navigate the chaotic election cycle and our season of political division without losing your mind or relationships.

Please buy or leave a review of The Soul of Civility and then email ahudsonassist@gmail.com to get your FREE e-book.

Looking ahead:

• November 12- Greater Muncie Chamber of Commerce, Muncie, IN

• November 14- Berry College, Mt. Berry, GA, Find out more here!

• January 23, 2025- I am thrilled to announce that I will be speaking at Yale Law School this coming January, invited by the Crossing Divides Program, part of the Tsai Leadership Program, which is dedicated to building strong bridges across our differences.

In the news:

• How to move past ‘othering,’ and toward mutual respect - CSMonitor.com

• Honored to share this sermon series inspired by my book, The Soul of Civility.

• Author and Civic Advocate Alexandra Hudson to Speak at Berry College

• The art of conversation: Books for going beyond conflict- Thank you to The Christian Science Monitor for including The Soul of Civility on this list! I'm honored to be featured alongside such impactful reads.

• Five podcasts on democracy and pluralism you should listen to today

• Blue Sky Podcast- Author Alexandra Hudson on Her Book, The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves

• How to Be a Better Human Podcast: I loved talking with Chris Duffy on his excellent TED podcast about How to be civil even if you disagree (w/ Alexandra Hudson)

• Civility is our eternal project- review of the soul of civility by the George W. Bush Center

Thank you for being part of our Civic Renaissance community!

A Year Ago on Civic Renaissance:

Beyond Politeness, Toward Civility