We All Eat
A journey of togetherness
Dear Friends,
The sun is high and the weather has turned warm. After two months of heavy winter, this neighborhood came alive over the weekend. Out from the houses emerged the families, couples, friends. From the houses came the children and the pets, all yearning for the release of outside. There was fog to start, but eventually the sun came through. I walked the beach that foggy morning, just before the sun and the families came out to join the quiet party. We were all starved for sunlight and warmth, and that is reason enough for celebration.
This weekend I had to admit that I have gained weight. My figure is looking winter-tired and middle-aged. It is a shocking combination. I do not hate myself for this. I am changing my habits. And yes, I am starting to eat the sun.
We all eat the sun. We eat it through plants without a doubt, but we also eat up through our bodies. Our receptors crave the sunlight, the very frequency of heat and dynamic reactions and interactions. Our lives crave light because it is part of our alchemy, and our source. We eat the sun like we savor tenderness. We gorge ourselves in radiation come the summer, but even now, with these first days of warmth, we consume the promise of sunshine.
Today there might be sun by you, too. Maybe you have rain. Unfortunately, we all have war. I hate it. I don’t want to talk about it because in my mind I get all the arguments, but in my spirit, I care for none of them. I care not for the charts, and the macho bravado that declares their authority to decide everything for others. It’s as if someone got to tell us what or how to eat. For women it as if the fight doesn’t have us in it. We might be objects, but we aren’t consumers or decision-makers.
But we eat the sun just like everyone else.
I never saw the sun refuse to shine on you, or me or anyone else. I have never heard the sun tell a woman, to hide her eyes, cheeks and lips from its warmth. I have never heard, not even once, nature saying we women can not eat the sun. Refusing to feed us in not something the sun would think to do. In the sun’s eyes we are equal to each other and to the plants and for that matter, all life.
This weekend I got my first taste of something we need. If anyone tells you that you don’t get a seat at their table, then tell them that the sun would never refuse you. It would never tell you to go hide from its shine. It would never tell you to fall in line with the smoke, and unfortunately these mirrors. Two sides, three sides — in the light of economic interdependence we don’t just eat sun outside as we stay there. We eat the sun as oil, we adorn ourselves with it as diamonds, and clothes. Whether I like it or not, the sun takes many forms, and I consume if not actually “eat” them all.
But I like to say I eat it. Because then it goes right to your gut. And that, can change your mind. Let’s hope some of these men starting wars they won’t die in go outside and ask themselves, How would I lead, if I were the sun? Not a sun-god or a sun-king, but if I lost my ego for just a second — how would I burn myself and share myself —- if sun were my very self.
We all eat the sun and that should bring us together.
Love You So Much,
Mariette
PS—I’ll share some of those gorgeous foggy photos in some Notes for those of you who have the substack app! And for anyone who wants MORE please comment! And sorry if the audio isn’t perfect. We are moving at the speed and faultiness of humans over here.