personal growth – Tate Basildon

When Faith, Sarcoidosis, and a Curious Chef Collide

Growing up Catholic leaves you with a spiritual starter pack—some guilt, a few hymns you’ll never forget, and a reflex to question everything, especially when chronic illness enters the chat. Living with sarcoidosis only sharpened those questions, but not in the “Why me?” way people expect. More like, “Okay universe, what lesson are you clearly dying to teach me this time?” The real story sits somewhere between faith, frustration, and a chef who refuses to stop asking uncomfortable questions…

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The People Who Truly Matter: A Chef’s Take on Life’s Real VIP List

We spend so much time chasing the shining things—titles, trophies, applause that fades faster than a bad soufflé—but living with sarcoidosis and years of unexpected detours has a funny way of reminding me who really shows up when the cameras aren’t rolling. This little reflection started with a series of questions from Charles Schulz, and let’s just say the answers took me somewhere… unexpected.

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When Dreams Rub Back: My Massage Therapy Detour, Interrupted—but Not Denied

Ever had a dream that hung around like glitter you can’t sweep away? Mine involved massage therapy, a mini-stroke, an upgraded heart, and a stubborn case of sarcoidosis trying to steal the spotlight. Spoiler: despite the plot twists, the story isn’t over…

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The “What If” Game and the Man Who Didn’t Know He Was Sick Yet

There was a version of me in 2002—forty years old, a working chef, exhausted in ways that made no logical sense, and listening to doctors insist that every alarming symptom was “stress.” Now that sarcoidosis is a familiar part of my vocabulary, looking back on that time feels like watching a movie where you want to yell at the character to turn around. Revisiting that moment made me rethink the “what if” game entirely and wonder how differently life looks when you finally know what your body was trying to tell you.

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When Faith Becomes a Wall: Choosing Peace Over Painful Family Reunions

When religion divides families, sometimes the kindest thing you can do is stop trying to fix what faith has fractured. As a chef living with chronic illness and a full plate of chaos, I’ve learned that peace is sacred—and you can’t pray someone into respecting your boundaries.