Gratitude Day

I'm working Thanksgiving, but in any case, I wanted to say something about the meaning of food, fellowship, sharing, not sharing . . .

I mentioned in a previous blog that a couple of years ago I went to a local restaurant having a buffet for Thanksgiving which included the turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls and salad and so forth. I went by myself, went through the buffet a couple of times, and left feeling filled but unfulfilled. And I realized that the celebration of "Thanksgiving" is not eating selected traditional foods. You could eat those any time. Thanksgiving is sharing a meal or get together with friends and family in a spirit of generosity and gratitude.

As I sever myself from 90% of the foods I associate with Thanksgiving feasts, I am thinking about what makes sharing food at an event meaningful. For me, when I go to Baha'i Feasts or to potlucks or holiday dinners and so forth, to be truly honest, sharing the food [all of it, and then some] has been a very important part of the event. If I did not eat some of the foods it was usually because I was on a diet [extremely rare occasion] or trying to go vegetarian or so forth. Not to partake to me kind of means being left out.

Time to stand back, look at myself with honesty, and realize that socializing over a plate of food makes socializing more interesting and bearable. I don't have to be fully present with the other person. I talked with my therapist recently about this is probably one reason people who "drink" enjoy their beverage of choice at parties: for some people this masks social anxiety and smooths the way for them to enjoy the party. And I don't say this being judgmental. This is just being human.

Now that I have opted to act as the pickiest person on earth, someone who doesn't eat meat or fish or eggs or dairy products, I will have to focus primarily on the act of socializing with people and being fully present, rather than focusing on what there is to eat. A challenge for me. I feel as if an outer, unconscious layer of "skin" has been peeled away from my emotions. Raw, alive, and unpeeled.

Which is appropriate if my primary focus is now vegetables.

I am open to any ideas for a whole-foods, plant based menu for Thanksgiving.