“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” – Epictetus
Sage advice tells us to be grateful for what we have and think not of what we lack (or something like that). Nonetheless no matter how hard we try, it is all too easy to be envious of others – of one person’s beauty, another’s wit, or someone else’s fancy house. In my case, the temptation lately has been to envy my neighbor’s plate and think of all the delicious foods that I cannot eat and that I have missed in these past 3 weeks.
Ravioli
Ice cream
Grilled Cheese
Even pickles
Blueberry scones I made for Sam to take to work (never again!)
Yet in between brief periods of self-pity, one lesson that I have learned in these past three weeks is appreciation for all of the delicious flavors, colors, and foods that I still do get to enjoy.
Avocados
Fresh raspberries
Almond butter (something I’ve grown quite fond of)
Seared Steak
Sweet Potatoes
And the list goes on.
So in an effort to be grateful…
The makings of black bean hummus! Yum!
I am sharing photos of food that I have enjoyed in the past few days and weeks. Not only does it showcase the beauty of good foods, but it also helps me to recognize the diversity of the foods that I can eat.
Like this raspberry-stuffed mochi, with its ruby hue and individual seed pouches
Or this colorful plate of fresh cod, potatoes, asparagus, and quinoa, simply prepared with olive oil and herbs and fresh-from-the-garden snipped chives
And these adorable mochi waffles with almond butter and raspberry and blackberry-mango smoothie on the side.
I am grateful!
While it has been challenging to consider every bite I take (am I actually hungry? is this something I am allowed to eat? will this make me feel bad later?) I have begun to appreciate my food more and I have stopped obsessing over it. In my quest to heal myself I have confirmed my interest in wanting to heal others through food and food issues. I hope that I can take what I’ve learned and share it with all of you in the near future.
In other news – SPRING!
I am grateful that the weather has warmed and the warm hues of greens (and pinks and purples and blues!) have returned to this scenic neighborhood. I can tell that the cats enjoy it too.
