Eat. Pray. Love. Movie title? Yes, but more importantly they are the first three words that come to mind after a long self-evaluation I had recently about the future and what matters most to me in my daily life.
No matter how fast we are now able to acquire a bite to eat in these modern times, I find comfort in knowing that true nourishment and actual comfort can only be found in those meals that are made with love (and fresh ingredients!)
After going through what I can only refer to as a quarter-life growth spurt, not to mention a few annoying allergy symptoms, I have come to put a lot more stock in the importance of educating myself on what I eat everyday (where it comes from etc.) and I try avoiding the temptation of those neon-lit drive-thrus with a 95% success rate :] ( Party on the outside, fattening, germy, over-processed nightmare for your insides! I'm just saying...)
Remember the spinach scare of '06? Aware of the current cantaloupe calamity?! Not too long ago I read an article about how the Food and Drug Administration (the FDA that we are so accustomed to blindly trusting)-- approved pesticides that have been shown to be directly related to causing CANCER for use on California grown strawberry crops! While "difficult" it may be to constantly monitor every food we eat and ensure efficient preparation of that food, and without going too far into the "rabbit hole" I must ask; If you could protect yourself and your family from ingesting poisonous foods, wouldn't you make the time to research these facts or speak up against this madness?!
Again, while I am fully aware that in this day and age it can be extremely difficult for an average joe to care about monitoring his food sources, I can't help but wonder- If we really sat down and compared how much we sacrifice quality in life for convenience AND risk rapid degradation of our bodies, would we be more willing to make positive lifestyle changes? Would you?
In religious texts they call the body the "temple". It is no doubt the one vessel with which we have been given the sole responsibility and privilege to maintain, like our cars and homes. But how many of us proudly drive whips known as "hoopties" or get our dining room sets out of dumpsters? Most if not all of us DO NOT I'm sure- lol, not by choice anyway. My point is- when given a choice, we use almost all of our resources to acquire material goods that benefit us in superficial ways!!! When are more of us going to start putting that much care and concern into the one thing we must do daily to stay alive and well? What you choose to eat and where you choose to buy it from matters more than any luxury purchase! Your body is a wonderful machine that is craving the very best fuel and I pray we realize this sooner than later because what we do now and the habits we instil in our kids matter a great deal in our futures...
Speaking of prayer, I must admit saying grace is not something I remember to do every time I eat. I was not raised in a strict or devout household but I usually almost always say grace when I'm around my boyfriend or his family, or other friends of mine who I know always give thanks and so it was never a big deal when I was a kid, however I've learned just how important it can be. And it just feels right!
In many middle eastern and Asian cultures, where meditation is practiced, being thoughtful and thankful during food preparation and before a meal is often practiced. I imagine if we had no worry about any of the many daily time-consuming-tasks we all juggle we too could think more about our meals, nevertheless I urge you to attempt the "impossible" from time to time by making a home-cooked meal and actually sit with your loved ones and show gratitude for it all! (IF you don't already of course :)
One of my favorite movies is "What the Bleep do we know?!" and in it is an extraordinary scene where the main character is going through one of her many mood-swings but then notices a tour guide commenting on some beautiful photographic art taken by a microscopic camera. According to the movie, Japanese Dr. Masaru Emoto set out containers of water with various labels—"love and appreciation", "You Make Me Sick, I Will Kill You", etc.—affixed to them, then photographed their structure through a microscope the following day. The photos revealed structures amazingly related to the labels. For example, "love and appreciation" had a beautiful snowflake form while "You Make Me Sick, I Will Kill You" had an ugly disjointed appearance. Some bottles were also blessed by buddhist monks with aesthetically pleasing results. (you can enjoy the scene here! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMfCvdyaNGQ
While his test was mildly isolated in its findings, I couldn't help but be utterly inspired by it's underlying message; as humans are made of up to 90% WATER, if thoughts can do this to water IMAGINE what they can do to us! For lack of a better phrase- At the end of the day, no matter what faith you are or the circumstances in your life, isn't it kind of sensible to believe such a mysteriously simple possibility? That being thoughtful and thankful for something as commonplace as even your over-processed McMuffin could at least potentially assist in a more pleasant digestion?
The United Nations has stated that approximately one-third of food produced is lost or wasted every year... With all the hunger in the world, are you still more interested in convenience or calorie-counting vs. putting more time, energy and love into what you eat- or showing gratitude for the food you're lucky to receive daily? I certainly hope that if you've taken the time to consider what I've written tonight, you'll consider doing anything to improve your life with food in some way and find opportunities to share your wealth with those who don't get to enjoy a meal every day.
Personally, in my spontaneous self-evaluations I've found increasing passion for eating, praying and loving. And this "blahg" is one of many I look forward to sharing with anyone who shares my passions. I believe as everything from rocks to raindrops are related in some way, these three acts work in such a harmonious way that everyone who practices them in unison might experience fulfillment in a multitude of exciting and tasty ways!
No matter how complex life can be, I believe that it is actually by following simple "recipes" we can really enable ourselves to taste and enjoy it... So gather your loved ones around a dinner table soon, cook and commune together! I guarantee the time spent will fill your stomachs and your spirits up!
Cheers and Bon Appetite my friends!
xoxo
Kola~
