When i eat a meal, i usually mentally thank the food; (i guess it is much like the way the very wise Native Americans used to do… and still do). All food — whether plant or animal — had to die for us to eat it.
And when i walked out of the grocery store today, i thanked the (past) poor creatures who had to die (and lose their land) such that the vast grocery store parking lot could be formed for our polluting cars… not to mention the endless lifeless, paved streets and the area that my home exists upon (though i do have a lot of aquarium fish and critters inside).
I bet that not many people ever thanked the creatures who used to live where that lifeless parking lot is. And now, writing this, it reminds me of that song, “They paved paradise, put up a parking lot (ooh, bop-bop-bop-bop)”
We so-called modern humans need to be a lot kinder and more compassionate to nature. That is easier said than done.
“Hey farmer, farmer put away that DDT now
Give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the bees
Please
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone
They paved paradise, put up a parking lot”
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
Akin to what I say before each meal: いただきます or Itadakimasu which commonly translates to “I humbly receive.”
Interesting and very good, Lou! 😊
That’s a nice thing to do, Tom! And I can really identify with that song! Who sings it?
Joni Mitchell (in 1970), Harini, and it’s a top-notch song! 😊Intelligent lyrics are a rarity these days.
Thank you, I’ll have a listen.
I never prayed for the creatures who had their lives ended or disrupted because of parking lots but my column in a now defunct local newspaper bemoaned the building of paved roads, parking lots and shopping malls that were destroying natural habitats and all living things in their homes. Praying for them might have been better.
Action is better, i feel, than praying… so you did very well! 😉
Our prayers should be “the doing,” and not just some mental churning.
Thanks for saying that but I really like your habit of praying for them all!
My favorite Joni Mitchell song. Still relevant.
It’s an awesome song, with a lot of intelligent stuff within… unlike so much of today’s bilge. 😉
Amen to that.
It’s interesting that you mentioned this Tom. Of course I always say grace for my food before I eat it, but not actually thank the food itself. I recently saw a TV segment talking about Regenerative Agriculture, which really is what people used to do before the introduction of pesticides became a big thing. Good post my friend. 🌞👏🏼😎
Thanks much, Kym! 😀 I really don’t think that that sacred immensity (i.e., what people call “God”) created the multiverse. So thanking that immensity — and it’s not a “he or a him” –would not be appropriate. I might as well thank a local politician. (tee-hee) 😁
OH WOW what a picture….unbelievably beautiful Tom… and I love the way you bring up gratitude for food… most of us are so separated from the food we consume it never occurs to us…we need this reminder every day
Many thanks, Sara! 😊
Most people, very, unfortunately, are not just separated from food; they are pretty much separated from everything. Being disconnected seems to be the norm.
I only wish you weren’t right!
Oh how depressingly true
I love this practice. It’s a great way to remain grateful.
Thanks much, Astrid! 😉 However, really, it’s not a practice. I just often do it, but not always. If it became a ritualistic practice, then it would very possibly lose its deep meaning and then (possibly) become a mere habit of routine. We have to be very careful in all of this (otherwise there may be no real insight and depth of feeling).
I agree it’s not a ritualistic practice. It’s my practice when I want to be conscious of what surrounds me.
Great to read, Astrid! 😊
That was a great song way back when and its message still resonates today, Tom. There’s a dispute with Costco here because they wanted to add way more car parking spaces and less bike parking at a proposed new location. City council is pushing back, fortunately.
Wow, Siobhan… i’m glad that i do not shop at Costco. 😉
I never realised those were the words to that song. Thank you for enlightening me!
Yes, and they are wonderful lyrics! Thanks, Amanda. 😊
Great content
Thank you, Oluwatobi. 😊
Excellent post
Thank you, Rehoboth. 😊
You are grateful that others sacrifice themselves. That’s a rare gesture, Tom, but a beautiful one. Lovely image. 🙂
great post. I love ready your article