One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. ~Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own StoryFood, as our life source, is truly amazing. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but it provides us with vitamins, nutrients, and other elements essential to our growth and well being. Food also supplies us with energy; it brings us pleasure, and is absolutely necessary for our survival.
Through the ages, man has enjoyed countless feasts in the company of others. Not only are meals shared between members of a family, but food is frequently consumed at important gatherings, social functions and community events. Yet, even when one dines alone, the serving of food has been “touched” by countless people along the way. From Farmhands and Artisans, to Professional Chefs and Home Cooks--all are operating with the goal of providing mouth watering foodstuffs for consumption.
While industrialization has provided us with many inventions to make our lives easier, food manufacturers have also followed suit. Meals that once took hours or even days to prepare and enjoy are now being served in fractions of the time. And although it is rather convenient to dine on a meal which takes minimal effort and preparation, by making “speed cooking” a regular occurrence, not only do we decrease nutritional value, but we also fail to make the indispensable connection between our food and our health.
Nowadays, it isn’t uncommon to see people eating while they are watching tv, driving, and even standing up. And as is evidenced by the food establishments on nearly every street corner, our society is definitely consuming lots of fast, convenient, highly-processed foods. Plus, with our ability to prepare meals more rapidly, we have also sped up our eating pace. Today, many meals can both be cooked and consumed in under 30 minutes, so there no longer appears to be any reason to contemplate the real importance of the food on our plate.
On a deeper level, what we have actually done over time is to replace deliberation and special occasion with effortless convenience and speedy delivery. It seems as though we have virtually lost the capacity to sit and experience meals in a slow, enjoyable nature and to truly understand the importance of eating nutritionally sound foods.
Yet, the more we learn about the healing properties of foods, the more society needs to take a closer look at the foodstuffs we put into our bodies--both the healthy and not-so-healthy, and how they affect us to our very core. Not only that, but we also really need to understand how each food serves its own unique purpose and that there are so many tasty choices which are truly healing in nature.
In my opinion, dining shouldn’t just be about filling our gut with the most convenient item we can get our hands on, it should be about thoroughly feeding our body, mind, and our soul. We should make it a point to choose fresh, healthy ingredients and become educated about what we are putting into our bodies.
Prior to eating, we should also take the time to pause and really acknowledge our food so that we can make a connection and truly honor the gift that lays before us. Therefore, even if one is continually stuck eating food in the “fast lane,” simply slowing down and paying attention to each meal as it converts into energy and sustains our life, is a privilege that should not be taken for granted.
