Keri's stuff :-)

More about food

Why do you eat? When you eat, why do you eat what you do? Why do you eat when you do? 

I think there are three reasons for eating, and they have something to teach us.  I eat something because it like its taste, I eat something because I'm hungry, and I eat something because I know its good for me.  Three reasons, three different things you go looking for, based on your reason for eating.  For example, if I'm not really that hungry, but feel like something tasty, I might eat chocolate or crisps.  If I'm hungry, I don't really (within reason!) mind what I eat, I just want something to fill the space in my belly.  And lastly, I might choose different foods when I'm conscious of needing more iron, or sugar, or vitamin B or C or whatever.  Pretty straightforward so far.  But I think that we can cheat ourselves out of so much by putting foods into these categories - for example, I like potatoes (category 1) and they fill me up, (category 2), and (provided I go easy on the butter and salt) they are also good for me (category 3).  Why should you care?  Because of the analogy to life in general that is in here somewhere.

We are robbed when we approach life or situations with an attitude that classifies them into one of these categories.  If I see friendship as only something that fills a hole in my time or my life, then I miss not only the truly nurturing things of it, but also the sweet things too.  If I chase only after things that are tasty, I miss seeing the parts of them that are good for me too.  And sometimes it becomes how we see God as well.  Sometimes I want to pray or go looking for God only because I think I "should", because it's "good for me", and a spirit of duty and drudgery (like eating endless spinach) descends.  In that state, I miss the sweetness of knowing him, not because it's not there, but because of my own attitude.  If I go looking for him as someone to fill the hole inside my spirit, even when he does I may not see that he can heal the reason it's there, and not just be a comforter for a short time.  And if I just go chasing the warm fuzzies, I may not know how much I could be being nourished and grow, in my relationship with him and with other people. 

So, this is my challenge - have a look at yourself, and see where you have missed out on enjoying the taste, or the satisfaction, or the nourishment in the things you do... then see how you can go about truly making the most of them. Just a thought :-) K.

• Posted by flyingkiwi on 02/10/2007.
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