Lent: Day 10

A quick note. . .

Today was a fairly regular day in the healthy eating routine but with one twist.

What do you do when you are invited to dinner while you are on a diet?

Fortunately, the invitation came from a good friend and I simply explained that I am on a temporary strict diet and I would need to bring my own food. She gave the response that all perfect hostesses should:

“Fine,” she said. “Bring whatever you need.”

I brought enough of the sweet potato and black bean chili and a green salad so that everyone could taste. Everyone seemed to like it!

“I don’t know what it is about this chili,” a friend humorously remarked, “but with every bite I seem to feel just a little more imperious.”

And so, I shall never refer to the sweet potato chili again as anything other than “Imperious Chili.”

While eating and socializing and inextricably linked, it has been interesting for me to learn over the past year that no one really cares what you are (or are not) eating so long as you can sit nicely and make polite conversation and not begrudge anyone else for what they are (or are not) eating. I think we all understand that controlling our eating is hard and that we all need to support each other in whatever attempts at healthy eating we are making.

I have even been to restaurants and family dinners during my fast days and sat and drank water while everyone else ate. No one cared. They knew why I wasn’t eating and it just wasn’t a big deal. Perhaps I am extremely fortunate to know only people with amazing manners but I would encourage anyone who is dieting not to avoid socializing or break your diet only for social reasons. People do understand.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!