December 16, 2003
Amazing Graceby Halcyon
I don't cook.
I'm not sure what my problem is.
I love food. I love good cooking.
I just can't seem to bring myself to prepare a meal.
If it takes more than 2 steps or has more than 2 ingredients, I'm
overwhelmed.
All those dishes to clean. All that stuff to put away when you're done.
All that effort that must take place between NOW and FOOD TIME.
I kinda revert to scavenger mode when I am hungry. I look through the
cabinets and fridge for pre-killed carrion.
Common lunches for me include: a can of Tuna eaten straight from the can.
A bag of turkey Jerky. Leftover pizza.
When I am feeling bold I actually heat something up. Like a single serving
microwave meal. Or a can of soup. When I see people eat meals with
multiple dishes (i.e. a side dish of vegetables) I'm so impressed.
I watch my brother prepare a salad and I'm awed by the sheer number of
ingredients. You cut up 6 different kinds of vegetables?! Is the Queen
coming to dinner?!
Now, I should be clear that it is not that I don't appreciate food. It’s
just that I'm clinically impatient. I want to eat. Now. Preparing food
means that I will be eating later. You see my dilemma?
The odd thing is that food is actually very important to me.
And I mean that in more than a "I am a human and therefore require food to
live" way.
Maybe it is my difficulty with making food that makes me so appreciative.
I truly see cooking as an art form. And one that is every bit as beautiful
and worthy as something on a museum wall.
Its very Burning Man -- transitory art --To be appreciated in a moment.
One way that I remember to stay appreciative of the art of cooking is by
saying grace.
My brother, his fiancé and I say grace whenever we eat together.
We thank the farmers for growing the produce. We thank the animals (if
there are chicken or fish in the meal) for giving us their energy. And we
recognize that the food was prepared with love.
It’s rarely a religious grace. Just 5 to 20 seconds to remember our blessings.
Think of family and friends. Try to glimpse the miracle of existence. And the way this meal fits into that whole mind-boggling occurrence called life.
Just 10 seconds in that space can make a huge difference.
Maybe someday I'll have the discipline to meditate. Maybe someday I'll
have the patience to prepare an entire meal.
Until then I'll keep scavenging…and trying to take a breath once a day to say
grace.
by Halcyon at December 16, 2003 01:25 AM
i say start small =) Like adding some broccoli to your mac and cheese or some garlic salt to your toast..
Great writing Halcyon. To you and your brothers, please keep it up.
I really get and like the idea of saying grace... whether it is for religious reasons or not. Staying aware of the many things that come together to give us the blessed lives we live - there's nothing but wisdom in that choice. Over time, I've stripped many religious cultural habits that I grew up with. One of the very very few that I kept was saying thanks for my food... for my life... for those in my life... for every gift that I receive. It just seems right.
I've always loved your One-Layer dip.
There's nothing wrong with dipping chips into a can of room temperature refried beans (as long as you say grace).
graze while you cook. it makes it easier if you are impatient. or just invest in the premade salads. even my little brother doesn't mess those up.
I feel ya man. I burn cereal. That's why I got married... I was hungry!
i'm a 1 step to 2 step eater too. i get cheese, spread some peanut butter on it, eat it. or open a box of macaroni and eat it out of the box. i have made some things, but also am usually just too impatient. thanks for sharing . i might even give that grace thing a try. it sounds like a new years resolution in the making...peace!
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It gets yours up to the top dude! The girl will enjoy it!
I don't really think your thoughts are right. Maybe you need a loan?
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