learn how to cook, people, learn how to cook

So I made a comment on Facebook and I simply have to expound. In my ward we like to help each other. In particular, the Relief Society is very good about getting people to take meals to people who have just had babies and stuff like that. Well, I got a call the other day asking if I'd take a meal to a woman who recently had surgery (or something like that) on both her ankles and so is incapacitated. Sure, I'd be happy to. Well, the next day, as I was thinking about what I'd take, it occurred to me that she might have some little kids or something that I might have to make enough food for. So I called Judy (who'd called me before) to find out.

"Hi Judy, this is Adrian. I was just wondering if she has any kids or something like that that I should plan for."
"Oh yes, she has a daughter who lives with her.
(I imagine a little girl between 5 and 15)
she's 21..."

...there is a slight pause while I check my hearing, and Judy reads my mind.

"Yeah, she doesn't cook."
Me, "oh ok. Well, just wanted to know."
I hang up and start a dialog with myself.

Doesn't cook? What in the world does that mean? And what kind of spoiled kid is she that her mother is laid up for weeks and she doesn't try to learn while good people from the ward serve her free food, brought to her door, night after night? I don't even know if they ever go to church. It's like my equivalent of how Dad gets bugged when people who haven't attended church for 30 years call the Elders when they need help moving.

Guaranteed that if it was my mother and me in the same situation I would be doing the cooking and everything else. And probably still be taking meals to new mothers and such. I thought of calling back and offering to teach this unfortunate how to cook. Then I realized how mean I was sounding. Maybe there is some reason she "doesn't cook." Maybe she works crazy hours, or maybe she is mentally challenged or had her own surgery. Yes, there are a million perfectly logical explanations and I certainly hope to find out that one of them is true when I take the food over tonight. But even if I don't I've decided to not be rude or bugged about it. After all, I'm not really doing this for them, am I? I'm doing it for myself, to practice charity. I just hope they like egg rolls cause that's what I had planned for Ty and I and I don't want to go grocery shopping again for a few days.

This little situation has, though, made me ponder a lot lately about people who don't cook. Honestly, it's not that hard. Even if you don't feel comfortable in the kitchen, you can still follow instructions, can't you? Pull out a recipe and practice doing what someone else tells you. As long as you start with components that are edible for humans, chances are that the result will be edible too. You'll get more comfortable with time. It's just a place to start.