FOOD, gratitude, day 17

I'm thankful that God didn't just give us one source of fuel and sustenance...he gave us a boundless array of options from which to select nourishment and enjoyment. These options are so vast that we as cultures have created entire social frameworks around its consumption and many lives are devoted to understanding, playing with, and dissecting its aspects. I mean, there are a countless supply of cooking shows, books, radio broadcasts; we even have a Food Network. Although i would not yet consider myself  a cook, no matter how broad the perspective (case in point: i don't like to spend more time cooking then eating!), from my layman's perspective I just know that I love to eat and that food is a wonderful part of my day.

It does, however, give me pause  to think about people in lower socio-economic states who go to bed with hungry bellies on a regular basis. The fact that people in the United States, a place with so much abundance, should ever be hungry is just awful. When i remember that I have so much while so many have so little, the awareness of this disproportionate inequality creates in me the desire to truly appreciate the food i do have and to enjoy it with extra time and care. Instead of shoveling food into my vacuum of a mouth I am trying to slow down just a little bit and in exchange am reaching a new level of  truly savoring each taste, texture, and flavor.
And then you know what? As I realize that my heart is full with awareness and gratitude of the moment I  become more in tune with the moment my body is satiated as well.

 I don't overeat when I am eating with the intent to nourish. And I don't overeat when I am not using food to fill an emotional hole.But on those days when I'm running from my failures, or saddened by my imperfections, or tuned out of what God and life is trying to show me....Man oh man!, those days are not pretty and in those moments of  seeking comfort from food I have  sunk to the bottom of the chip bag, the last candy wrapper, the last bite, the last nibble. Not a pretty sight. Food sustains, it invigorates, its enjoyable, and it has a purpose. Like we talked about the other day, when you follow your passion you find purpose and fullfillment. When I am living in my passion and purpose for life I don't abuse food or mistake it for my fulfillment. I hope that you, too, will shift your perspective, or at least contemplate the ways you use food in your life. It has a purpose IN your life but it is not YOUR purpose. I hope today you allow yourself to live more fully in whatever those inner passions of your life are. And if you don't know what they are, ask the Creator of creation. He knows :)