“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”

~ Virginia Woolf

Have you noticed that food tastes especially good if you don’t have to cook it? Unless the majority of your meals are eaten away from home, eating out can be a real treat.

Do you have a couple of restaurants you absolutely love? Does eating a certain dish seem to lift your spirits no matter what’s going on in your life? Maybe you choose comfort food like steak and mashed potatoes or homemade chicken soup and a hot roll. Sometimes you may feel the need to spice things up a bit and enjoy a savory curry dish or some yummy lasagna.

When I’m breaking bread, it’s not only the food, but the company that makes the meal. I call a friend, take one of my children or invite a neighbor who has been on my mind. Eating out is always more enjoyable if someone I care about comes along with me.

Sometimes it is fun to spread the love around while you are out as well. My friend Meg loves to anonymously pay for someone’s meal almost every time her family dines out. As they’re enjoying their entrée, they nonchalantly look around the restaurant and find someone they want to pay for. They make up a story of challenges and trials the people might be facing in their lives. They add lots of details to make it feel more real. They keep adding to the story until they truly start to feel empathy for them. They give the server their credit card and ask to remain anonymous. Obviously, they can’t know the actual struggles of the people, but they love doing this secret service; quietly making someone’s night. If they can’t identify someone to pay for, they’ll leave an extremely generous tip (maybe four times larger than normal, or one that is more than the cost of the meal). They hurry and leave so they don’t get caught.

Reaching out to others in one of these ways not only provides food for your body but food for your soul as well. You’ll feel lifted and blessed as you lift and bless the lives of those around you.