Thank Goodness It’s Friday

I awoke this morning in a foul mood for no good reason. All I had was a faint hint of unsettling dreams and general dissatisfaction with my accomplishments of the week. I ate one of Trina's lemon cookies and left her apartment, through the morning drizzle in my car and down to my place.

I found no appeal in my daily bowl, Joe's O's with a banana, and ate nothing at all, planning to have breakfast in a bit when I felt hungrier. An hour became two and I had somehow decided not to eat at all today.

The first and last time I fasted was October 5th. I joined Brooke and countless others internationally in fasting from sunrise to sunset as a show of support for peace and security for the people of Darfur. What did I accomplish, other than through the pittance I donated along with my fast? Whenever I thought about food, I was reminded of the cause of that desire and forced to think about others less fortunate. Many claim that increased awareness is a worthwhile product of protest or action, and I would tend to agree.

So the sun has set now and since the cookie, I have limited myself to water and a teaspoon or so of salt, which balances the hydration. I have not quite decided if I will eat at all today. At moments when I would have eaten, I took the extra moments to wash dishes and tidy up my apartment.
Does this behavior seem unhealthy? Is it healthy for me to gorge needlessly because I am restless or dissatisfied? I accomplished a normal day of work today on the energy from one cookie. I would argue I was more productive through the self-awareness that accompanies hunger and the knowledge that I was choosing not to eat because I am discontent with my efficiency and focus.

This post is not a cry for help. I am not planning to give up food, or arguing the merits of hunger. I make all these observations from my comfortable perch, with a stocked refrigerator not twenty feet behind me. Rather, I present my day as useful self-reflection and evidence for the need for some change in my life, whatever that might be.