If you’re gonna skip a meal, I bet it’s often lunch. I used to do it all the time. And if I did eat lunch, it was often hurried and blah. What a way to spend the middle of your day! Why do we do that?!
Our lives have become too busy for lunch in America. This is a ridiculous state of affairs, and not true in large parts of the world that are apparently smarter and happier than us.
I had a hard-working colleague whose whiteboard had a complicated process flow chart on it at one point. When her teenage daughter came into the office, she added a box and arrow on the flow chart that just said ‘eat lunch’. Genius. I think all flow charts should include this!
The only time that it seems smart to skip lunch is if you’re going for brunch instead. A weekend treat. Lovely. Otherwise, why not give lunch its proper due? It’s a no-pressure, often light meal, with no strings attached. Lunch asks nothing of you. Breakfast is supposed to ‘set you up’ for the day. Dinner has so many expectations. But lunch? You can do it your way. Take this opportunity.
But I at least advocate taking 30 minutes, preferably an hour, to sit at a table, or on your porch, or the couch, or on a bench in town, and really….eat lunch. I guarantee your week will be better. And who doesn’t want a better week?
And here’s some incentive:
We took my 80-year old Mother-in-law out for lunch this week. Some of her friends joined us. It was the first time she had been able to get out for a simple meal with friends in a long time, and she was thrilled with this little trip into town. It was inspiring to see so much ‘presentness’ and gratitude for an hour or two with dear friends in a new (to her) cafe over the most overlooked meal: lunch. We vowed to take her out more often.
What groceries do you need this weekend to make sure you really enjoy lunches this week? Who could you invite out to lunch just to catch up? 1 If necessary, block off this time on your calendar.
All I’m saying is that I want all of our next chapters to include lunch. It sounds silly I know, but you deserve a break and something delicious, not a hurried mouthful of blah, or nothing at all.
“Life Life, Eat Lunch” - A. Waple.
(I might make a bumper sticker of this)
I was tempted to make this a social commentary in various respects, but that sort of defeats the point. It’s just lunch. It’s a moment that’s NOT all about everything else. Just take that moment to eat it and enjoy it.
Also, each meal is a clear opportunity for pleasure every day if you simply take the time or prepare and enjoy it. Other pleasures aren't as reliable!