From Food to Feast: What chapter are you living?

AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS
by Portia Nelson

I

I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in.
I am lost…I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes me forever to find a way out.

II

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again.

I can’t believe I am in the same place. But, it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

III

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in…it’s a habit.

My eyes are open.

I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

IV

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.

V

I walk down another street.

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What and how you eat changes and is changed by your physical health and appearance, your emotional experiences, your financial situation, your work habits, your spiritual beliefs, and your relationships with others.  What you do with food is a part of, not separate from, the rest of your life.

Any intimate, honest conversation about food is eventually going to touch upon how you live the rest of your life, and this is an unavoidable, sometimes challenging, potentially enlightening truth.*

In this series, I am using Nelson’s poem to explore the chapters we experience in our relationship with food. Moving from one chapter to another requires us to develop a particular character trait which will show up and shift the ways we think, feel, and act around food.

Moving from chapter one to two, we develop awareness.
Moving from chapter two to three, we develop responsibility.
Moving from chapter three to four, we develop foresight.
Moving from chapter four to five, we develop courage.

Let’s begin the conversation…are you in?

*Instead of an intimate, honest conversation about food, you may choose a superficial one instead. You may also decide to avoid this conversation altogether. Your call.