At 4:44 PM, on the second day, I think: It’s not even 5:00
PM, and I’m thinking about dinner. I
pause, step back a moment, observe myself: I can’t say that I am really hungry;
my stomach isn’t growling; I’m not experiencing any discomfort, but I’m
thinking about food. I will put off
eating dinner until around 7:00 PM. I
think many Americans, those of us who do not experience food shortages on a daily
basis, have too much to eat; or, maybe just eat too much. In doing so, we always have a full (or over
full) stomach. Our stomachs are not used
to emptying out; we are not used to not feeling full. So, when we no longer feel full, we confuse
this state for “being hungry”. I need to
be mindful of my real needs, and be more aware of why I am eating; why I feel
“hungry”. I must not confuse the need
to eat with the desire to eat; nourishing with consuming. At 7:10 PM, I sit down to my only meal of the
day. Calmly, I joyfully survey the plate
of food. I notice myself taking my time
(compared to my normal dinners), eating slowly, seeing the food, tasting the
food, and enjoying the food more than usual.
I am thankful for this opportunity to learn.
No comments:
Post a Comment