In my 66 years on this earth, one thing I know is that I love food and I am not afraid of it. I was brought up to eat everything that was set before me. From liver to pasta to oysters, I loved food and was willing to try just about anything. When I went to dinner at someone’s house, I just ate what they gave me and was grateful. When I cooked for others, I never asked them if there were certain food that they could not eat, unless I knew for certain they were vegetarians or vegans. For the most part, I just enjoyed cooking for people and I especially enjoyed watching them enjoy what I cooked.

This all changed about 20 years ago, when I moved to California. I was suddenly made aware that everyone doesn’t eat everything and that what people eat might change from time to time. There were cleanses. There were allergies. Gluten became an enemy of many. Desserts with white sugar were poison. Milk was replaced with non-dairy substitutes like soy and coconut milk and almond milk until we found out that soy might not be good for us either.

Having people to dinner with everyone on a different diet lost its appeal for me. “Let’s just go to a restaurant!” That’s a better choice.

There are so many facts and myths surrounding food today that I can no longer keep up with any of them. I love fish, and I know it’s good for me but I’ve been told not to eat too much because of the mercury. Too many greens might even affect my blood, I’m told. Coffee is supposed to be terrible for me, but now I heard it’s really okay. Not too much meat. Costco chicken is poison. Organic vegetables might not be organic. Beware and watch the labels.

Have you ever had someone stare at you when you put a cafe mocha up to your lips and give you a litany of their food allergies. I’ve come to the conclusion that we live in fear in our world much of the time and now food has joined the fear train.

I have a way of dealing with it that works for me. I listen to my body. It will tell me what I want and what to stay away from. Ernest Holmes the Founder of the Science of Mind and Spirit once wrote about food and it’s very current:   “We cannot expect our food to agree with us if we are constantly condemning it.”

Deepak Chopra once wrote, “It’s not what we’re eating; it’s what’s eating us.”

I believe in blessing my food at every meal. I bless it for health, strength and perfect digestion and elimination. I bless all that brought it to my table. I thank the 50 trillion cells that support me. I do not put anything in my mouth unless I totally agree that it is good for me. I don’t eat a piece of chocolate cake, for instance, unless I can come to peace with it. If I think it is going to make me fat, I pass it by.

I have managed to keep a normal weight my whole life. I feel blessed that I can eat most anything I want. If anyone tells me about their diets and allergies, I listen and I understand that it is done unto us as we believe. What works for one person, doesn’t work for everyone. I also understand that it is the thoughts we feed ourselves that are most important. If we are going to go on a diet, try negative talk dieting. It works wonders.

Ernest Holmes once told us not to take someone’s God away unless we could give them a better one. I would never take someone’s diet away unless I can give them a better one. The truth is I can’t. It is everyone’s right to eat what they want. Following fads does not work for me. I trust myself, because I trust the Spirit within me to tell me what is good for my body. I remember when I was pregnant, I developed an aversion to coffee. I just couldn’t drink it. This is just a small example of how the Spirit within me will guide, if I listen to my inner guidance. Someone’s ice-cream Sunday delight can be someone else’s poison. Know thyself is the key.

I’m having spaghetti and turkey balls tonight with semolina flour pasta. I am grateful. I trust that whatever you eat today that you eat it with love for yourself and the food. It’s the best thing for perfect digestion.

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita