“Everybody’s got a hungry heart”

Ever since some of us met on 3/21 at Sukh’s to participate in a hunger banquet, I can’t seem to get that evening off my mind. I can’t shake free from it…

It’s a mystery why…but in some ways it’s very clear…

I want to say that the U.S. is greedy. That we have more food than we know what to do with…but I just went to Change of Heart weekend this last Saturday. And I know this also happens in the U.S—this unfairness and inequality of jobs, housing, food.

I’m thinking to myself lately…how it would really look to share 20 times more than we do as a nation…what would life look like then?

How is it that there are some people with enormously big dinners every night and some others who only have chili out of a can or leftovers from the trash to dine on? How can this be!?
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Hunger Banquet on 3/21/08 at the new garage:

It went something like this…Raju spoke to us about how Jaghat Bhai at Manav Sadhna had a hunger banquet evening for volunteers and how inspiring that evening was…we got to experience this at Sukh Bhai’s residence.

It’s funny how it worked out. Some who were hungry before getting to this event had nothing on their plates. Some who were already full from a prior meal had steaming hot plates full of yummy Indian food.

I had eaten before and my plate was spilling over. The beauty of the food placed on the plate was so artistic and gorgeous…I almost couldn’t put my fork into it. The aroma of the food was intensely scrumptious and I’m sure wafted to my neighbors noses…

It was so natural for me to want to share. I looked to my left and my neighbors with no food on their plates had their eyes closed and were meditating…I couldn’t get their attention! Kristeen, to my right had a few pieces of Roti..I saw this bread being cooked…so much from the heart!! I craved that Roti because it was simple, and uncomplicated…

Our lives have become so complicated…this overwhelming amount of food and store and housing options.

Can’t we all just sit down together and share our food, our clothes, our houses? I’d much rather have dinner with a community sharing…than being by myself with a big plate of food…that could possibly go to waste.

I made sure to eat my big plate of food…except for a few leaves from my salad.

This was the most torturous meal I’ve had…because I couldn’t share. I go with friends, family to dinner or lunch and all the time…I ask if they’d like to try a bite or more of what I’m eating. Mostly, I only share a bite or two with them…because they have their own plates full of food.
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I’m suddenly remembering being in New Delhi, India on Jayesh Bhai’s birthday…We had just gotten back from Agra…to visit the Taj Mahal and other famous structures. Sukh suggested that we buy some Samosas and give them to some homeless brothers and sisters at the train station. I’ll never get over that feeling…of giving. The samosas ran out and a few of us had crackers, and cookies that we also gave…to these sleeping souls woken up by us btcers. India in December is cold!!! And these ones were lying outside under a roof with no doors or windows to close. I’m glad we were able to give Jayesh Bhai the gift of giving…and I got to talk on the phone and wish Jayesh Bhai a happy birthday! We had left Manav Sadhna (a phenomenal orphanage in Ahmedabad right near the Gandhi Ashram). I was missing Manav Sadhna volunteers and the children sooooo much…but this was a sampling of connecting…how ever far away one is…you can never be separated if love was created.

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”-Buddha (my buddy).