Eating Together, Growing Together

Growing up, I lived in a family house. We all know what family houses look like by now. We have the grandparents, uncles , aunties, mother, father, cousins, and many more. With my family house, it was a different ball game all all together. We always had people visiting from different parts of the world which meant they’d be around for a couple of days or even months.

With how large the house was and the huge number of people around every blessed day, food was always in abundance. You never know when a visitor might walk in so our moms made sure to have food readily available at any given time. In traditional Muslim homes, everyone eats together. My grandpa would not eat if he was served alone and even if no one was around to eat with him, he would wait for the kids to come back from school before eating. Personally, I believe it was his own way of bonding with his family.

For me, I used to eat with my sisters and cousins and sometimes my aunties. As a kid, I always wanted to eat my food fast so I could get to my play as soon as possible so I always wanted to eat alone. When I’m eating with my aunties or others, I wouldn’t be able to rush and they knew that so I was always made to eat with them. It was fun though as I always got a lot of meat being the youngest around.

Now, I’m way older and my family is living in our own house and same as all other family members we used to share the family house with. In my house or let me say my dads house, everyone is busy. We barely see each other unless it’s a weekend or holiday. Everyone goes out very early and returns in the afternoon or late hours of the night aside the kids. So, eating together is problem.

Personally, I love to eat alone because I want to watch a movie or do something while I’m eating. But when I’m at home, I wish to eat with my family as I don’t get to do that often. However, the kids in my house are always against eating together. They always end up fighting over petty stuff which makes it difficult for them to share a plate of food. Regardless, we still make them eat together sometimes in order to learn how to eat with others when they find themselves in a different setting.

In my house, everyone eats when they can or when they are hungry as my mom is against wasting food. She will literally get mad at you for not finishing your food on a normal day. But on weekends , holidays or other family occasions and festivities, we all eat together. The men to one side and the ladies to one side and it’s always a bonding period to chit chat and even end up forgetting about the food.😂

Currently, I’m away from home and I eat alone which has gradually led to my bad eating habits but this December, I’d most definitely go home to my family to spend the holidays and I know we’d all get to eat together during family gatherings just like the old days.

all images belong to me.