Apr 12, 2024 |
WLSU, The Meal is I Love You
| The Rev. Philip DeVaul
WLSU, The Meal is I Love You
If you had asked me growing up if meals were a big deal in my house, I would have shrugged my shoulders. My parents didn’t look me in the eye and say, “This matters!” And I ate in front of the TV as often as they would let me. But looking back, I see it differently. My father loved to cook. And for the first 13 years of my life, when my parents were still together and especially before my older brothers moved out, Dad would try to get us around the table when he was home. Throughout much of the 80’s he was away on business, sometimes half of each month. But when he was home, he would cook as often as possible, and we would all sit together around the kitchen table and eat. He would insist I take my hat off, no matter what kind of rat’s nest was hiding underneath.
I always thought he was doing that just for himself, that he loved to cook. And he did. But I’m Dad now, and I have a demanding job too. And now I know that part of loving to cook is the fact that I am feeding people I love, that I am potentially making something they will actually enjoy, and that I am nourishing them and caring for them in a real and practical way. I don’t always feel it in the moment, and I don’t say it every time. And my kids would love to eat in front of the TV as often as possible. But when I have the energy, I gather them around the table, and hats come off, and we hold hands, and someone prays. And sometimes they like it and sometimes they don’t. But it’s always I love you. I see that now.
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