Contemplation and deep imaginative thinking are important tools that are often times skipped over in daily life. Especially when it comes to things more complex than just asking yourself, do I want to go out tonight or do study for my exam? Or, do I eat a salad or a cheese burger? Contemplation over deeper topics can be very resourceful in understanding the processes and meanings of certain matters, such as food and agriculture.
Taking the time and participating in a contemplation regarding hunger was very eye opening and thought provoking. I tend to show up to this particular class hungry almost every day, but I never worry too much about it because I know that once class is over that I’m on my way and eating essentially whatever I want in the very near future. However, experiencing that hunger and thinking, “what if I didn’t know when my next meal was?” was kind of a hard pill to swallow. The feeling of hunger is definitely not one of my favorite feelings, but I always have the privilege to have the peace of mind that my next meal isn’t too far away and that I will get to choose what I eat.
Putting myself in a mindset where I didn’t know when my next meal would be was a scary thought. Hunger can consume you. It can become hard to think, work, and behave. Yet so many people around the world are put in this exact situation on a daily basis and on top of this, they work extremely hard manual labor jobs. Since participating in this contemplative practice I have become a lot more mindful and aware of my hunger, consumption and privilege. It has given me a new outlook on my typically picky eating and taught me to be a little bit more grateful for what I am able to have on a plate in front of me.