Chew on this.

Since my last blog was about clothing, naturally this blog has to be about food. Just as clothing was once only thought of as a necessity, food is now treated in the same fashion. We no longer eat to live, we live to eat. Gluttony, once viewed as a sin, is the basis of our existence. In my speech class, I delivered a speech on the importance of eating healthy foods. Even though I made this speech, I am more than guilty of eating foods that have been clearly proven to be harmful to my body. In Haiti, food is not always eaten because of necessity just as in all parts of the world, but food has a different significance.

My mother always tells me stories about my grandmother and how generous she was. Food meant more than the momentary fullness it provided. My grandmother would have huge pots of food made on a daily basis to feed not only those living in her household, but also those who happened to stop by for a visit and sometimes even strangers. This was her unique way of connecting to not only the people around her, but to give back to the community that helped raise her. My mother has developed the habit of cooking in large quantities because this is how her mother showed her how to cook. My mother has failed to realize that she is not cooking for nearly as many people because she only has to cook for 4 instead of the 12-15 people my grandmother cooked for every day.