Stories from my heart/Rita Adair
Feeding the hungry heart
Feeding the hungry heart
I have been thinking about significant relationships throughout my life. There have been those when I
was an infant — my parents, siblings and other relatives, along with family friends — who held me, kept me
warm, fed me, sang to me, clothed me, bathed me, taught me and tolerated my sense of self and my noise.
As I grew into a child, I had friends that played hard with me, laughed with me, ran with me, followed me to
uncertain places, got in trouble with me and kept secrets, even some who couldn’t keep a secret for 10
seconds and those who shared the lessons in life that have made lasting memories.
As life went on, I held onto some childhood friends and began relationships with God, teachers,
elders, church members, co-workers and my community. A greater understanding has now shown me that
all the people in my life and the spiritual connections have become a distraction for another relationship
that has weighed on me heavily for most of my adult life — my relationship with food.
Oprah has spent years and many shows on the issue of health and obesity. And now, African
Americans have the highest incident of obesity in our country and our children are suffering from weight
problems at staggering numbers. It is no surprise to me and many others who love and care for our
children. As adults we have had to face the hard truths about our relationships with food and health.
A heart can be full of love, care and kindness, but often empty of emotional and physical needs. Food
can comfort a soul, bring immediate gratification and fill up a place that needs to feel whole. If we could
feed our children and love one’s heart as well as the stomach, there would be so much less hunger. Just
think! We could change a soul of a child and the destiny of those we love.
was an infant — my parents, siblings and other relatives, along with family friends — who held me, kept me
warm, fed me, sang to me, clothed me, bathed me, taught me and tolerated my sense of self and my noise.
As I grew into a child, I had friends that played hard with me, laughed with me, ran with me, followed me to
uncertain places, got in trouble with me and kept secrets, even some who couldn’t keep a secret for 10
seconds and those who shared the lessons in life that have made lasting memories.
As life went on, I held onto some childhood friends and began relationships with God, teachers,
elders, church members, co-workers and my community. A greater understanding has now shown me that
all the people in my life and the spiritual connections have become a distraction for another relationship
that has weighed on me heavily for most of my adult life — my relationship with food.
Oprah has spent years and many shows on the issue of health and obesity. And now, African
Americans have the highest incident of obesity in our country and our children are suffering from weight
problems at staggering numbers. It is no surprise to me and many others who love and care for our
children. As adults we have had to face the hard truths about our relationships with food and health.
A heart can be full of love, care and kindness, but often empty of emotional and physical needs. Food
can comfort a soul, bring immediate gratification and fill up a place that needs to feel whole. If we could
feed our children and love one’s heart as well as the stomach, there would be so much less hunger. Just
think! We could change a soul of a child and the destiny of those we love.
Rita Adair
Rita, Our hearts and prayers are
with you and your extended
family.
From your Capital City Hues
Family
with you and your extended
family.
From your Capital City Hues
Family