Serving Food

The meal doesn't begin when we start eating -- it begins as soon as we sit down at the table. Whether we're serving the food or waiting to be served, we can use this time to prepare our soul for the nourishment ahead. It is a time to feel joy and gratitude. "We don't need to feel like we're waiting for other people to serve themselves and be seated," Hanh writes. "All we have to do is breathe and enjoy sitting." "As you wait to serve yourself or be served, look at the food and smile to it," he adds. "It contains sunshine, clouds, the sky, the Earth, the farmer, everything."