Tasting Lab Week 4

After 9/11 as a kid, my father lost his job, and my family went nearly three years before being able to celebrate Christmas. The second year after not celebrating Christmas, my older sister sat on Santa’s lap, and told him what she wanted for Christmas was a job for my dad, and made Santa cry. To this day, I still find and take everything I am gifted and appreciate everything a lot of people may look over. When was the last time you were faced with a challenge and how did you overcome it? When was the last time you were put in a situation being given very little, and how did going through this experience change your appreciation? What or who do you turn to for comfort? What are these foods you enjoy?

I missed part of this tasting lab and I am glad that I did! I have cried in front of people enough this quarter to last me a lifetime. I am not a Christian and have never really been into the gift holiday. That being said it breaks my heart to think of a child doing without, especially in this circumstance.

We tell kids that good kids get lots of presents from Santa. The bitter truth is that really shit-head children get lots of presents quite often as their behavior has little to do with the abundance they receive on holiday. The sad part is that the child with less resources, who may be a total angel, gets less and can eventually internalize their lack of gifts as proof that they are not good.This is one of the many ways that we attach morality to wealth.

Whether I have had to go without or have lived in abundance I have always felt rich. My Aunt Sharon was a commune-living hippy who taught me an important lesson-you can’t ever be rich with money-be rich in love.

The foods and things that I have enjoyed most have been those that I have had the opportunity to share. I try to not turn to food for comfort as I have an eating disorder. I catch myself craving foods like french-fries and chocolate ice cream and can usually use these cravings as a tool. Instead of eating I sit with my hunger, with my discomfort, until I am able to identify and work through it.