Church Wasn’t All Bad: How I Bless my Food

Begin with gratitude to eat mindfully. Nourish the body. Nourish the soul.

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I loved going to church. Especially on Wednesday evenings for Disciples Club in elementary school.

I didn’t participate in sports. I didn’t dance or play musical instruments. I wasn’t involved in Girl Scouts or other community groups. This weekly few hour window introduced me into community outside of my school and immediate family.

My whole world view expanded as I stepped outside the box of expectations.

The evening started with dinner family style. I, almost always, arrived alone. Unless my grandparents were with me or I convinced one of my siblings to come, this was a solo adventure.

Some days that was terrifying.

I wanted to be liked. I wanted to fit in seamlessly. I wanted to be normal just like everybody else.

I remember being in my head a lot. I was hyper aware of the rules and expectations yet I didn’t understand them all. Especially the unwritten “rules”.

This stage of my life I was incredibly:

• shy
• unsure of myself
• people-pleasing
• conflict-avoidant
• afraid