Eat, Drink, & Be Merry

That's what family dinners should be like, but I've come to realize, that's not what I grew up with.

Last night's conversation with my ex-husband presented me with a reminder of the food issues I have. I first started to realize I had them at dinner with my sister (the one with the brain aneurysm) and her husband last New Year's Eve. We were out to dinner before a party at one of his co-worker's homes when I ordered a salad (I think). I told the waitress, "no dressing", which has always been a standard for me. I've never purposely ordered or added dressing to a salad I've eaten.

My brother-in-law asked me why I didn't want salad dressing. I told him that I'm "anti-condiment" and that includes dressing. Somehow it came up that my sister doesn't eat macaroni and cheese (even though I love it). In fact, she HATES the sight, sound, and smell of it. He commented, "So basically, everyone in your family has a food issue." She and I thought for a moment and said, "yes". Last night, I realized it was more than just what we (as a family) choose to eat or not eat...it's each of our relationships with food and what food represents to us.

I've decided that I'm going to make a concerted effort to work through my issues with food. I already know that it's affecting my son and his development (which was what my ex-husband so poignantly pointed out last night). Doing this is critical in my becoming a fully healthy person, and in the future I won't let there be another barrier (or elephant in the living room) that I inadvertantly ignore.