Hunger & Fullness

Let's talk this morning about hunger and fullness. I imagine that you, too, know women who use food to stuff their emotions, whether it be pain or joy; Or, perhaps you know women who deprive themselves by counting every calorie, not allowing themselves to fill up that beautiful belly (and life?) of theirs.

Me? I often find myself reaching into the fridge, on autopilot, when I am at the peak of creativity, or feeling unable to solve a problem.

What are we, women, really hungry for??? What is the fullness that we seek, or avoid, but none-the-less crave? Why do we often reach for "belly-fullness", when really we want soul-fullness.

What does soul-fullness look like? Here is what I hunger for:

I hunger for connection with God, and a sense of mystery and synergy in the universe;
I hunger for love, for whole-hearted, I-see-you, love;
I hunger for joy - delighting in being alive and this (extra)ordinary day;
I hunger to create. To express myself through my imagination, my hands, & my ability to make something ordinary into something magical.
I hunger to share my experiences as a mother. For those super-market moments of "I've been there, too; Isn't it (exhausting/wonderful/fill-in-the-blank)?"
I hunger to fulfill my purpose. To help women create joy, express themselves, design their lives, illuminate what matters, to be and give their best and to surrender.
I hunger to feel alive and strong and powerful in my body. To challenge it and to appreciate it.
I hunger to know myself. To really know myself. And, consequently, to express myself.
Lastly, for now, I hunger for rest and peace of mind. To know that whatever happens, I'll handle it. To know the difference between what really matters, and what only momentarily matters.

And so, yesterday, as I devoured a handful of white chocolate chips, I realized that I was really hungry to express myself in that moment. I was working on a workshop and struggling to describe it. Only, I didn't really tune into my hunger. I was on auto-pilot.

And, so, today I vow to listen to my hunger. To differentiate between hunger to fill my supple belly, and true hunger.