What Happened To Saying Grace?

When I was a child we said “Grace” to bless our food and thank God before each dinner. I would recite the small prayer without too much thought. It was very much part of our routine. But as we grew up it sort of fell off our daily routine, being saved for the special occasions and holidays only. As an adult, this is how it has been for my own family as well. Recently one of my children had dinner at a friends house and when she came home she mentioned that they said a prayer before the meal. And it struck me that it really is a sweet and beautiful thing to do, and not necessarily just for holidays. My family might be missing out on this gift. Feeling gratitude for our nourishment and company should be expressed more than just a few days a year!

So why have some of us lost touch with saying Grace? Well, I think it is interesting to note that meal preparation used to take a very long time. Cooking a meal was a beautiful art form and something not to be taken for granted. Today many times we are picking up take-out or simply popping something into the microwave and pressing start. It is easy to lose sight that a meal is something to truly value and be grateful for. Real food comes from soil that has been nurtured, watered and graced with sunshine and prime growing conditions. It has been grown and gathered with love. It is easy to evoke pure thanks for all these things to come together perfectly for us as a bounty from the earth. But when something comes out of a box with plastic wrap it doesn’t really inspire you to thank a greater power for the blessing.

In my own home, life has been very busy, everything can sometimes whiz by in a flash. I’m now so inspired to start reciting something to slow down the moment, to remind us of the magnitude of our blessings, and to speak our gratitude out loud to the universe and a higher power. After all, the nourishment of our body should be a sacred act. Our words and affirmations are powerful blessings. Our emotions and thoughts have an effect on everything around us, including our food. The energy you put out as a mantra, prayer, or affirmation can and will affect you physically. Attaching positive vibrations and energies to your mealtime is calming and up-lifting. It allows you to drop into the present moment, feel gratitude, and increase pleasure. Giving thanks before a meal is a beautiful form of spiritual nourishment that can be simple and easy.