Such cultures have discovered that love , trust and regard instilled in the act of food sharing are their own currency . Food sharing strengthens the bonds within families , tribes and communities . Indeed , human beings are helpless to enjoy the rich experience of life alone and without family or community . We achieve the fullness of our humanity only through deep , loving and caring interaction with one another . As Hemmingway once stated , “ No man is an island onto himself apart from the main .”
Certainly , one of life ’ s peak moments in which joy can hardly be contained , is a feast of whatever kind — a wedding , a coming-of-age ceremony , a welcoming or a farewell . At such times , one thinks nothing of sharing one ’ s very choicest items of food and drink , all precious gifts of the earth , with one ’ s guests . On such occasions , the pleasure and joy that the guests experience , itself becomes the fodder that nourishes the unspeakable joy of the hosts whose unbridled sharing of bounty creates a sense of unity and goodwill among everyone present . The very act of giving and receiving become links in the endless circle of life which begins when the earth shares its delicious fruits with its creatures or a
mother , the milk of her breasts with her hungry child .
Perhaps the earth itself feels a similar joy and bond with what it has given birth to when humankind respectfully takes what it needs in the interest of preserving its own life and the lives of others while expressing a heartfelt thanksgiving for the plenitude and splendor that our earthly home offers to all who inhabit it . At least that is what our indigenous ancestors believed .
As I write these words , the phone rings and it is Lilliana ’ s sister , Rocio . Tired of picking peas on her twenty-five-row parcel of land , she invites me to pick a five-gallon bucket of the coveted vegetable . I pick and pick beneath a glorious early-summer evening sky whose canopy of clouds changes color from a bluegrey to lavender and then to rose as the hours go by . All the while , Rocio and I share an animated conversation about literally every subject on earth . From the high ground where we are picking , I can convincingly see the vastness of the land and the immensity of the wee part of the universe that stretches out in front of me . The awe-inspiring sight causes me to not doubt nature ’ s potential for supplying the basic needs of everyone , and then some .
With each handful that I gather , I think of the many people with whom I will be sharing this green gold and who , whether or not I will it , will in time be bringing me fish from their catch , socks on my birthday , or wood for winter heat . It is the way we have always done things around here and it is the only way that I know of that leaves lingering warmth and satisfaction in one ’ s heart . That is plenty for me .
Alejandro López is an experiential educator , farmer , writer and photographer from northern New Mexico . alej @ cybermesa . com