Food for Thought

  Hey there! 
 
      Do you pray when you eat your food? Ask yourself that. For some readers and listeners, they may very well execute the deliverance of graciousness and gratitude in the ritual of nourishment. The one thing I find myself relapsing back into the deepest addiction, is the privilege of having a meal. Unfortunately, throughout this month long trip I recognize I have omitted praying prior to intake.
 
      People, who know truly know me, know I love to cook. We’ve all heard the saying, “A woman’s place is in the kitchen,” and you’re damn right it is! It’s my personal palace, my play station, my work place, my church, and I don’t need anyone to remind me what I should be doing, I enjoy doing. It’s not uncommon for me at times to tell some people who congregate, “I love you, but you need to get the f*&^ out!” Of course, coming together and providing the occasional chuckle whilst rinsing vegetables, picking cilantro off by hand, the random nomination of a worthy assistant, and choosing the appropriate glass of wine is welcomed on all accounts.  Choice is being able to test riding seasoning, keeping timing in perfect balance with percolating the right smells to attract your flock of hungry hungry hippos and the grand finale is being able to lay it out in the nearly perfect portion for the gatherers to feast upon. I call the shots when I’m cooking, and your place is to wait patiently.
 
     When it is all said and done, phones away, computers away, it’s time to relish in the love that has been poured into a display of color and texture. By all means, I am no Gordon Ramsey, Rachel Ray or the late Anthony Bourdain looking to capture the minds and aw of people around the world. When it comes to cooking and the privilege of taking time to cook, and eating what I want to eat, I bow down to the incredible gift I have been given, and simply put, is knowing I was given a choice. What a privilege it is to have choice, and this is why I chose to take the time to write this blog. I am lucky enough to choose and for that I pray.
 
    I must confess, throughout this month long hiatus I have slacked in praying prior to my meal. I’ve cooked several meals whilst staying at friends houses along the way, ate like a queen at all inclusive resorts, sipped wine and spirits in a catalog of watery platforms, yet I forgot to pray. Cooking and praying prior to a meal, of any meal should be recognized and I apologize to my inner soul for the lack there of. I have been given choices to indulge; do you recognize that when you look at your meal?
 
     Whether you have cooked it or not, acknowledging the very basic, yet penetrating, privilege of having choice. So many people out there do not have that privilege. As recent as yesterday after I sat down outside to eat, watching the boaters breeze by, feeling the warm air massage my skin on a Sunday afternoon in Michigan, the gift of being present gave way for a reminder of how lucky I am. I had a choice to decide what I wanted to eat, when I wanted to eat, where I wanted to eat, and how I wanted to eat. Something so miniscule, so collective in our daily lives and taken for granted on so many levels. There are people out there who have no choice, or one choice, eat whatever is being forced, served, or starve.
 
    In buying organics, organics have a shelf life so fresh fruits and veggies need to be utilized in a timely manner.  When going out, my eyes at times talk a load of shit to my belly when it comes to options, so I do my best to stay rational between the two so one doesn’t feel defeated in the game of fully loaded. There have been many instances in my life where choice was not the option and I had a choice to eat or starve. I remember when I was young being forced to eat disgusting dishes of crap involuntarily, yet spell bound of other crappy choices based on my perceptions of deliciousness. I didn’t learn from my parents, I learned on my own because now I have better grasp on choice as well as the privilege to do so. This stands along side praying as well.
 
      Praying prior to a meal, and I’m not talking about always bringing your palms to hearts center, saying dear heavenly father. We all respect and recognize gratitude in different forms though I trade off between speaking out loud or quietly to myself. My go to when cooking and eating is as simple as, ‘Thank you lord for this privilege of being able to sit down and having a meal in front me. I am thankful and blessed I was able to choose what I wanted to eat, when I wanted to eat, and I recognize many people out there are not as lucky as I am, I am blessed. I am so freaking lucky I have a choice to say yes or no.”
 
     The bottom line to this blog is simple, recognize the gift of choice in deciding the when, what, where, and how of nourishing your body. It can be said out loud, quietly to yourself, hands held, hands in prayer, a daily sermon of acknowledgment, whatever you come up with that is appeasing to you. There are many people out there in the world who do not have this privilege, a gift that tends to be overlooked based on the perception of abundance as well as healthy options when in fact it is not always the case in many parts of the world.
 
 
  Thank you for reading and until next time!
 
- D
 

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