Forgive the horrible picture, but this is the only one I have of that day. From left to right we’ve got Susan Teton, yours truly, Dania Katz of Edible Hawaiian Islands Magazine, and Sanam. I tell you, these three women are food revolutionaries in their own rights, and it has been a pleasure getting to spend time with them over the course of the last couple of months. On this particular day, Sanam was meeting Susan to do a practice run for a dish that they were both doing for a food demonstration the following week. I tagged along with Sanam and Dania, who lives a block over, dropped by to join in on the fun.
There are so many things I can tell you about this day. The food, the home, the amazing view of the Ocean and waves serenaded us were heavenly. All of that was amazing, but really, what it was for me was the sisterhood.
Gathering friends over for a meal is always wonderful, but nothing really beats a group of deep souled women coming together around the kitchen, preparing a meal and sitting down to eat it. While hands are busy preparing, conversations meander to all manner of topics that always seem rooted in healing, emotion and relationships.
I remember sitting at the table and looking around feeling so fed, and this was before we had even started to eat. I had been here on the island for over 2 months now and had missed circling with my sister friends back home. And so here, with new friends, good food and blessings said over the meal we were about to eat, I simply looked around and felt such a fullness and gratitude. Breaking bread with others is such a holy act of community, connection and affirmation of life.
This afternoon really drove home for me how much I really need to eat with friends on a regular basis. Food Practice isn’t just about conscientiousness in choosing and preparing your food, its about how you eat, and who you eat it with. I think its also about the celebration of abundance and community.
But its more complex then that, isn’t it? I don’t fully know what it is about sitting down with those dear to you and even those that you’ve just met, that can be such a connecting experience. I mean, this is the whole idea of gathering together as a family each night for dinner is it not? Coming together, eating, sharing… a holy round table of nourishment on all levels.
I don’t believe that we as humans are meant to live a solitary lone life. Its when we sit across from each other and eat that we participate in the act of nourishing ourselves on so many levels. We feed our bodies, our sense of belonging, our need to connect, and share and give. We feed the present authentic moment that allows for this dance of communication to take place. We feed the growth of our relationships. We feed our awareness that we are not alone.
I need more of this in my life.
Very well said. I love these parts:
"Gathering friends over for a meal is always wonderful, but nothing really beats a group of deep souled women coming together around the kitchen, preparing a meal and sitting down to eat it. While hands are busy preparing, conversations meander to all manner of topics that always seem rooted in healing, emotion and relationships."
"I don’t believe that we as humans are meant to live a solitary lone life. Its when we sit across from each other and eat that we participate in the act of nourishing ourselves on so many levels. We feed our bodies, our sense of belonging, our need to connect, and share and give. We feed the present authentic moment that allows for this dance of communication to take place. We feed the growth of our relationships. We feed our awareness that we are not alone."
Truly, it's a treasure to find friends you can spend time like this. Thanks for sharing with us about this precious time and your wonderful thoughts.
Liza
Liza, thank YOU so much for stopping by!
What a beautiful memory you ladies created. It's an amazing experience to share your passion and develop a friendship with a group of women like that. Thanks for sharing the experience with us.
What a great post about what I in a nutshell would call A Magic Moment – thanks for sharing!
Btw; Found the post from you're Flickr while checking out my friends last photo post – glad you are one of them 🙂
Renny, Isn't it great how the internet makes this such a small world? 🙂 Glad you stopped by!
What a lovely post, Elena. I know exactly how you feel – I went out last night for dinner with three of my best girl friends and it was a wonderful evening. We got together mostly because of recent events in my life (see my blog for details!) and they were amazing, ready to listen, provide tissues to mop up tears, hugs to nourish the soul, tell me over and over again how wonderful I am, and be there for me. Although the food was less than great the company made me feel full and content.
We all need more of this in our lives!
Jax x
Yes, circling with soul sisters… there is nothing like it. A total healing balm for the soul.
I agree again, a nice post musing over the important things in life. Why else would we be here, than to enjoy each other's company and nourish ourselves for yet another adventure?
Jason
Why is this a horrible picture? I like it.
Thank you Elena. This is such a wonderfully done post … you have captured the essense of the interaction around the act of cooking and sharing meals together. We ARE social anmals and the time when we lay down our cares, weapons, 'business of the day', and allow ourselves to eat and communicate together around 'that round table' is indeed, a sacred time. Just think if more families and groups of people did just that…
This is exactly how I feel about food and the human relationship with it. I was an art major, and I have a habit in looking for beauty and art in everything, and while I have an affinity for photography, I am not that inspired photographing food. I have inspiration in spades when I photography people together, and togetherness is commonly shared around food, breaking bread together, remembering that moment together, tasting it.