To dine, alone.
The ambiance is adjusted and the table is set, everything is prepared.
Taking a seat, we get a feel for the, “repas du jour,” allowing for careless and inconsequential mental chatter to entertain, though not detract.
And so it goes.
Now, to dine with others.
The courses are selected, the drinks are poured, and now the opportunity strikes for lively discussion.
Anticipation builds at the prospect of connecting, sharing,… partaking.
The expectancy goes beyond the meal, it also extends into the experience of one another.
And with the breaking of bread, dreams are shared, plans are made and insights are gathered.
With those we choose to sit at our table.
Over time and with experience, we learn to hold sacred, those we choose to sit at our table.
It’s just a meal. It’s not like dining solo or with other people is that meaningful of an experience. It can be enjoyable and pleasant, or sometimes uncomfortable and irksome, but at the end of the day, whether you’re eating alone or dining with others, you’re just providing yourself the opportunity to fuel for whatever is next on the day’s agenda.
Energy.
Whether it’s the food or the company, it's energy that we are consuming.
Be it feeding our bodies with food, or our inner being with conversation and access, what we feed ourselves, plays a significant role in our mental, physical and emotional well-being.
How does one qualify eligibility, given the significance that this energy holds?
Are we as mindful of the nutritional value inherent in our relationships? At least as much as that which is on our plate?
At whom’s table are we seeking an invitation?
How much energy will we gain, for the energy that we will expend?
Simply put, we are the ones who decide how to feed our inner being.
We decide with whom, as well as with what, we feed our inner selves.
I guess metaphorically speaking, yes, we feed ourselves not just with food, but also with the company we keep and the conversations we engage in. I’ve not really considered the discussions and conversations that I partake in as also, "feeding my inner being." That said, I do recognize when I feel energized when talking with people; as much so as when I feel depleted.
Health is more than the baseline information that dictates the level of nutrition in our meals.
It’s the communities we identify with, and the communities we serve.
Our overall sense of health is often predicated on who we allow to sit at our table, or at whom’s table we have continuously sat.
Be cognizant of the communities both inherited and chosen.
Don’t overlook where it is your energy goes and flows, when you break bread.
Learn to always exercise discretion.
Feed yourself, with care.