A Meal of Connection

According to Merriam-Webster, a meal is an act or the time of eating a portion of food to satisfy appetite. Most people think of food first when prompted with the word "meal." While a meal consists primarily of food, it often is an engagement in which people interact.

Some people eat by themselves. For them a meal may be a ten-minute activity in which the sole purpose is to refuel their bodies. No social interaction is involved. However, for others a meal is an hour-long activity in which they refuel their bodies and their souls. In my Food and the Sacred class, we discussed the uniting principle of food. Food brings people together. It brings people together in not eating certain foods according to their religious practices. It brings people together in providing a time to share conversation and a good time. It brings people together in enjoying the same home-cooked foods.

Daily activities that we partake in are overlooked. Stop and take a step back. If you look at different aspects of your life, you will see that many of them contain small elements of unity among people. I eat lunch with the same people everyday. While this has become a routine, it has also become a time for us to catch up and appreciate each others' company.

I have noted a correlation between meal time and level of connection established. When I only have 20 minutes for lunch, I am often concentrated on the limited amount of time that I have rather than my engagement with my lunchmates. However when I have an hour for lunch, I feel that I can relax more and spend time conversing with my lunchmates. With more time comes a greater opportunity to establish unity.

Meals have become opportunities for us to share with others - opportunities to share our thoughts, share our time and share our foods. Often people that I don't get to see during the day are those who I share my meals with.

So next time you sit down to a meal, ask yourself if you are sitting down to a meal of refueling or a meal of connecting with someone. Have more of the latter! It'll make life more enjoyable.