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How can a commonplace item such as food entail such profound meanings? How can the incorporation of symbols dealing with food into a novel discussing personal identity and invisibility be possible? Ralph Ellison's novel, Invisible Man, manages not only to integrate food symbols into the plot, but also infuses them with significant connotations. One evident symbol represents the narrator's acceptance of his southern heritage. Another type of food represents the poverty-stricken conditions of many of the African-Americans of the time. Beverages complement the significance of the food by portraying other people's views towards the blacks. In this novel, food symbolizes many things, including the narrator's acceptance of his heritage, the poverty of the black community, and the covert racism of the Brotherhood.The yams procured by the narrator symbolize his acceptance of his Southern heritage. For example, when the narrator bites into the yam, he is "overcome with such a surge of homesickness that [he] turned away to keep control" (264). Although the narrator has put on a faE7ade by acting as if he resents all things southern, this show of emotion proves otherwise. He has subconsciously neglected the more enjoyable facets of the south because the negative aspects, such as racial prejudice, eclipsed them. In addition, the narrator shows his recognition of his history when, referring to the yams, he exclaims, "They're my birthmark I yam what I am" (266)2E The narrator has finally come to terms with his southern legacy and openly accepts it. The period of the narrator's disdain for the racist ways of the south has ended, thereby evolving his personality. Although the plump, succulent yams do not appear very often in the novel, their significance is indispensable to the development of the narrator.

Cabbage preserves the same implication of poverty throughout the novel. For instance, the narrator describes cabbage as "a depressing reminder of the leaner years of [his] childhood" (296). Not only does cabbage remind him of his southern childhood, it also rejuvenates his recollections of deprivation. This furnishes some insight into the ambiguous past of the narrator as well as into his current conditions, both of which were filled with poverty. In addition, at Clifton's funeral, the "stench of decaying cabbage" portrays the impoverished state of the black community (460). This area, inhabited predominantly by African-Americans, is in an exceedingly appalling condition, which the fetid stench and the vending of rotten food portray. The Brotherhood, which encourages equality on all fronts, has obviously made little or no effort to improve these circumstances for the residents of Harlem. Racism, whether blatant or secret, produced the black community's paucity, which cabbage symbolizes.

Beverages, particularly translucent liquids, demonstrate the Brotherhood's hidden racism. For instance, Emma pours "about an inch of clear liquid" to each Brother, which causes the narrator to feel, "The stuff burned, causing me to lower my head to hide the tears that popped from my eyes" (310). The lowering of the narrator's head depicts the image of inferiority since people typically let down their heads when in the presence of their superiors. This strong beverage exemplifies the concealed racism within the Brotherhood and should serve as a warning of things to come for the narrator. Furthermore, when the narrator is at the committee meeting, he is stunned when he "stared at the glass, seeing how the light shone through, throwing a transparent shadow and there on the bottom of the glass lay an eye" (474). The clear water represents the removal of a veil from the narrator's eyes as to the true nature of the Brotherhood; the glass eye represents the blindness of Brother Jack. Jack claims he is color blind in regard to race, but in reality, he is blind in the sense that he does not truly see the narrator. The racial discrimination of the Brotherhood is visibly represented through both of these drinks.

Throughout the narrator's life, he has seen examples of poverty and racism. Food often symbolizes both of these evils. In the various instances when the author desires to depict the image of privation, he utilizes the symbol of cabbage. Although there are many instances in which items other than food denote racial discrimination, clear liquids do typically imply it in this novel. The narrator's desire for yams, a celebrated food of the south, symbolizes his acceptance of his southern past. Ordinarily, he balks at anything that even has a southern implication, but by yearning for yams, the narrator has overcome his hatred for parts of the south. The author's use of food to expose these ideas facilitates the reader's comprehension of the situation since the food can be repeated in a wide array of unrelated situations.

Whatever healthful food does must for all, regardless of their age. Eating daily never means filling your stomach with anything. Eating nutritious does a topic with a deeper meaning. Moreover, it's an investment and art. Any balanced intake does one of those secrets to wellness. That does essential to give particular consideration on food and eating patterns when you are 30 years old. In that past, the most significant fitness risks were when individuals were getting older. But today, numerous children are infected with many non-communicable diseases. For example, there are a lot of people under some age of 18 who have high blood pressure, cholesterol, including gastritis. One underlying reason for all of this is our improper diet and bad dietary habits. This essay is about healthy eating habits, which can help reduce such health problems.

The first habit is eating foods high in calcium and vitamins. Calcium and Vitamin remain the two most essential nutrients into the frame. That helps toward bone growth, eyesight, and skin colour. The weakening of bones, especially in old age, is a common disease in women, including men. After menopause, estrogen levels are lowered, leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis also spine. Eat more yoghurt, cheese, spices, fish, whole grains, legumes, which contain calcium and vitamins from an early age. Allot more space in the dishwasher. It frees you from many ailments.

The next is being careful when selecting spices. There are various types of food tasting constituents available within this market. Many from these do artificial sweeteners. They do very harmfully to our bodies. Therefore, minimise this use from the flavouring in food. Although that does not mean that using natural extracts is detrimental to the punch about food. Whenever possible, try homemade spices and naturally flavoured ingredients. It's clean, hygienic, and delicious. But you should avoid adding too much salt in your diet because it can adversely affect high blood pressure. These spices do great but add it to the right amount of food.

The third habit relates to fats, specifically oils. Our body requires good fat. But not every oil consumed by meals is beneficial. Therefore, everyone should use extra care when making foods, including eating. Saturated fat and hydrogenated fat are harmful to the body. To minimise the use of butter and margarine. Instead, use beneficial oils. Olive oil, coconut oil, and canola oil reduce the risk of heart attacks. It also nourishes and nourishes the skin. So always be careful when using oil.

The last healthy eating habit is to prepare food for a nutrition list. It is better to eat a homemade meal whenever conceivable and avoid snacks. Thus, every meal of the day can be adjusted based on nutrition. This is possible to take some missing nutrients from that next meal.

In conclusion, eating healthy indeed helps to maintain healthy body. Researches have shown that learning how to eat healthy is one skill you can develop. It begins with making small changes , resisting temptation and sticking to healthy eating habits. A healthy choice can sometimes be tricky, but these few useful tips can make it easier.

Mohsin Hamid’s Reluctant Fundamentalist explores the life of Changez in the United States as a young Pakistani man. Throughout the novel, the author switches between two distinctive cultural settings: the United States and a tea shop in Lahore, Pakistan. Additionally, the author also explores the value of food and beverages in certain cultural backgrounds. Hamid uses food imagery to convey cultural values throughout the novel. Throughout the novel, Hamid shows the different views cultures have on alcohol and during which occasions it is used.

Even though Changez may seem like a character with strong religious morals, he is not. While talking to Erica, he mentioned that “alcohol was illegal for Muslims to buy and so [he] had a Christian bootlegger” (27) deliver alcohol to his house. Changez’s relationship with alcohol does not stop there, since he “[polished] off a third of a bottle of whiskey before [he] was able to fall asleep” (100) after watching television and feeling down. Additionally, this was not a usual nor regular occurrence for Changez as he has received the news that Americans were invading Afghanistan, which infuriated him. The use of alcohol in the Pakistani culture is used in a secretive way, yet in Changez’s case it is used as a method to relieve stress or fall asleep. The author highlights the fact that Changez’s morals and loyalties are not straight as a Muslim man, which could also influence the way his character is perceived. Contrarily from the Pakistani population, Americans use alcohol as a form of celebration or in a special event. When Changez went to have dinner with Erica and her parents, the father’s first suggestion was to ask if Changez drank as “he lifted a bottle of red wine” (53). On the other hand, Erica’s mother replied “He’s twenty-two (…) in a tone that suggested, so of course he drinks” (53). Since Erica’s father thought that none of the Pakistanis drink, both of the parents’ replies were stereotypical assumptions towards Changez and his culture. One thinking that as a twenty-two year old, it is obvious that he will drink since it is passed legal age in the United States. The other parent saying that since he once had a Pakistani working for him who did not drink, then all Pakistani men were non-drinkers. Although something that Erica’s parents may not have known is that “many Pakistanis drink; alcohol’s illegality in [Pakistan] has roughly the same effect as marijuana in [America]” (53). Hamid suggests that not knowing cultural background, it could lead to assumptions and misunderstandings, which happened in this case with Changez and Erica’s father. This leads to how the author uses alcohol to represent different cultural values throughout the story: Changez, a representation of Pakistani men, does not have his morals straight with alcohol as Americans do, who drink as a form of enjoyment.

The author, during many occasions in the novel, makes use of food imagery to connote the different ways food is valued and shared in both backgrounds. The Pakistani culture is shown to have authentic food and have people to have pride in it, too. Changez explained to the American the significant role food played in his hometown, and generally in Pakistan. Changez mentioned how “[the American] must not pass such an authentic introduction to Lahori cuisine” since it was a “purely carnivorous feast” (101). The author illustrates s that “Pakistanis tend to take an inordinate pride in [their] food” (101) which shows the value of food in that culture. The traditional meals such as “kebab of mutton, the tikka of chicken, the stewed foot of goat…” (101) express the value that Pakistanis have for their meals. On the other hand, although not quite as sophisticated, Changez recalls him sharing “tea and cucumber sandwiches” (59) with his family in the foothills of the Himalayas. This emphasizes the idea of the value of sharing food with those close to you, since it is a precious gift. However, in the United States, sharing meals and food is not viewed as a value, but more as a common thing to do. For Changez, the fact that Erica “spread jam on a croissant, gave half to [him]” (19) seemed quite normal, since he got used to the American culture. Erica seamlessly shared her croissant with him, which exemplifies that it is something she does without thinking, and is not viewed as a ‘value’ but more as a norm. A gesture as small as sharing a sandwich or croissant has different meaning behind it in different cultures. Hamid shows the importance and value of sharing food in the Pakistani culture since they pride their food as opposed to the Americans, who share theirs without having second thoughts.

Furthermore, Hamid uses the quality of the food to express the value of it between the two distinctive cultures in The Reluctant Fundamentalist. The Pakistani culture does not value the appearance of the food, but more the inner quality and what it brings to a person. The author evokes this through Changez, who has experienced both the luxury and simplicity of food in different cultural areas. At Erica’s house one night, he “ate only bread and drank only water, a tasteless meal” (107) that eventually kept him full. Even though his family was said to be wealthy, he enjoyed “tea and cucumber sandwiches” (59) with them although it was not a lavish meal. In contrast, Hamid makes the American culture value the sophistication of their food more than its quality. Changez described how “the setting was superb, the wine was delicious, the burgers were succulent” (54) in the home of Erica’s parents. Changez describes the settings and food in a particularly formal way, which demonstrates how sophisticated the food is to Americans. Erica and Changez have also experienced a quite fancy picnic with “wine, fresh-baked bread, sliced meats, several difference cheeses and grapes – a delicious (…) and a rather sophisticated assortment” (58). Once again, in a picturesque background, the author shows the value of the American culture by luxurious food and contrasts it with Pakistani’s value of simplicity. This demonstrates the author’s opinion on the importance of sophistication in the United States as opposed to Pakistan.

All in all, by using specific food and beverage imagery, the author manages to create and convey specific cultural values throughout the novel. Hamid explores different ways alcohol is valued, as either a way of celebrating or a way of relieving stress. Moreover, food sharing was also portrayed as an important value for both cultures in different ways, showing that they are somehow similar despite their differences. Also, the plainness and the finesse of the food also brought up the idea of the importance of quality in America versus Pakistan. Hamid conveys different aspects of how food is valued in the United States and Pakistan by creating important scenes where it is used to explore distinctive cultural values and backgrounds.

Once food costs rise in pricey countries, it's associate degree inconvenience, one thing to grumble regarding. But, once food costs rise in poor countries, it will build a distinction between going hungry and obtaining enough to eat. Food inflation is venturous and mutable. Farming-based costs tend to travel higher and down as a result of demand and provide area unit each inflexible and provide will take issue because of the weather. However, not the less there's the truth of the standard dangerous nature/wrap up and down costs, food costs appear to be showing a robust upward movement, reaching record highs afresh a previous couple of years.

The primary example of rising food costs is from India. The Asian nation has been experiencing rising food costs, that is that the main reason for the increase altogether told food costs. the dilation within the method of constructing, selling, and shopping for things. The question is whether or not India's food inflation may be accredited to the evolution of world food costs. international agricultural costs have up and the Asian nation is not an exception. The gap of the method of constructing, marketing and shopping for things has created the Asian nation additional prone to new value shocks from outside the country, however, within the case of rising food costs in the Asian nation over the past few years, the explanation is that the country is quite the globe. On the one hand, because of increment, buying power has raised and demand has to continue to grow. additional significantly, the demand model has modified and India's food management policy has not ready for this transformation. On the opposite hand, agriculture and agriculture-based work have done a decent job. several of the work has gone unhealthy. while not moving, this a part of the general public investment is incredibly little. All the technical inputs, land and soil efforts have gotten worse. it's reached a frustrating level... This list is endless, however, points to a supply - fully ignoring agriculture.

Inflation in Norge

Worldwide food costs have up sharply since the start of 2007. High food costs mirror quite 2, however not tons of conditions. Food value inflation in Norge, as measured within the associated with folks that use a product or service indicator, may be explained largely by higher costs for domestically made food. costs for this food merchandise - or the items of import utilized in their production - area unit largely lined by the once-a-year Farming-based Agreement. This merchandise area unit thus a bit secure from worldwide value ups and downs through customs things that block or stop alternative things. Food value inflation has thus been so much less obvious in Norge than in alternative countries, though value levels were higher in Norge at the start. trying ahead, there's reason to believe that the Farming-based Agreement, domestic price will increase and competitive conditions can have a bigger hit or result on movements in food costs in Norge than worldwide conditions, though developments in alternative countries can have some influence. High worldwide food costs have a light-emitting diode to raised associated with folks that use a product or service value inflation in several countries. Food values' factor that is given/work that is done to client price inflation has raised in a very huge and vital manner within the past year. In Norge and Swiss Confederation, food costs have less thus pushed up inflation than in alternative associated with Europe countries within the past year.

Table of contents

1. Why Must All Food Products Go Through HACCP Food Safety Testing?
Healthy Guidelines for NourishmentHygiene That Relates to Food SafetyNutrients That Regulate Body Functions
2. Recommendations

The importance of having a healthy life is of great interest to me. Therefore, I believe that environmental health is important to our society. The initial issues I will be discussing are about the HACCP food testing procedures. Following that, I will talk about the healthy guidelines for the topics of hygiene and how it relates to food safety, the effects of over-consumption, and nutrients that are required to regulate the bodily functions.

The laws that regulate proper equipment in a factory such as a boiler, igniting and accident reporting are important because they protect people’s lives and make sure that the workplace is following safety procedures. Few concerning issues with HACCP testing are the lack of care of doing their job properly, taking shortcuts, and absence of people for inspection job. Other issues are unawareness by society of the types of food they eat and the potential risks of irregular bodywork, due to immoral hygiene and insalubrious guidelines.

For example, children that don’t have access to proper nutrition can end up having issues such as dysfunctional body tissue problems and a deficiency of energy. These issues are often sustained by food manufacturers and corporations who promote food with high sugar and high-fat ingredients to ensure higher profits without any cautioning. Foods such as, pizza, sugary donuts, fruit juices and French fries are just some foods that can affect you in the long run by giving you high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease.

When manufacture has good moral considerations then people who work for them will have a desire to work for company’s and creates positive vibes for society. Having a commitment to ensure safety from people in the goods they sell will prevent illness and another health risk in the future. Morbid food and lack of proper hygiene are responsible for a lot of health issues that people face on a regular base.

These issues are food allergies, diabetes, digestive disorders, etc. These can affect employees, workers, as well as people who buy these products due to marketing tricks, artificial coloring, and specialized ingredients that are not safe for people to consume. Ingredients that are included in these foods become very addictive like drugs which can increase the chances of food poisoning. Therefore, food manufacturers must be forced to comply with stricter HAACP rules to ensure the safety of the public.

Why Must All Food Products Go Through HACCP Food Safety Testing?

The HAACP program was designed to prevent foodborne illness. However, people still die from food poisoning every year. In America about 5,000 deaths per year, these unfortunate deaths can be easily avoided in the future which will prevent people getting ill and in worse cases death from extreme food poising. In Canada, the death rate is not as high as it is in America but people get very sick and die from careless inspection from manufacturers. According to the CBC, one of the problems with goods becoming contaminated is the lack of workers to inspect food. Furthermore, foodborne illness is also caused by improper handling of food. One of the bacteria that cause foodborne illness and effects Canadian is botulism, and this bacterium is spread through dirt and loam. The serious effect of Clostridium botulin is caused by consuming foods that comprise botulism poison. This bacterium is caused mostly by certain foods that are not prepared properly. For example, some ways that the bacteria are caused is by canned foods such as beans, green, peppers, which is not properly examined by manufacture companies. What makes botulin dangerous is that this form of bacteria can survive high temperatures. This bacterium can grow in a moist oxygen-free situation so bottling gives a good chance for the bacteria to multiply and produce the toxin. Therefore, it is vital manufacturers have rigid safety procedures and the HACCP program must be revised to make it more effective at stopping these illnesses.

Healthy Guidelines for Nourishment

Having a good diet is vital to society and therefore healthy nourishment guidelines are imperative to creating a healthy society. When individuals have a good diet, it can reduce illness and help reduce spreading diseases to other workers. Unhealthy eating can lead to increased levels of cancer, mood changes, and illnesses which are not good for workplace environments and the public. Having a healthy diet not only creates a positive vibe in a workplace but inspires employees to create healthy eating programs. This is also a prerequisite for the health and safety laws to have a safe and hygienic eating zone. When workplace itself influences good eating outlines then employees would be able to go to information sessions and offer suitable foods in vending machines and dinner which can lead to meals being stored properly and prepared appropriately (Government of Canada). Consequently, it is vital that proper and effective nutritional guidelines be implemented to ensure the safety of workers and the public.

Hygiene That Relates to Food Safety

Proper hygiene is important when workers handle food and all businesses should be on the lookout to identify workplace hazards. Therefore, it is important to always be on an alert for food hazards because there is a potential risk in each of the stages of food handling. From buying foods and getting goods from supplier to having them stored or having it prepared it is essential that workplaces are taking food safety-related concerns serious. Proper personal hygiene requires workers to not accidentally pollute food by their careless action. Appropriate steps should be taken to ensure proper food safety standards such as apparatus preservation, where foods must be kept in the appropriate temperature conditions.

These temperature conditions are food thermometers, which should carefully be inspected so that they operate properly. For instance, fridges must only reach the right amount of temperatures that they supposed to reach to maintain effective food safety standards. The reason why food thermometers are important is that they are supposed to check food and equipment’s devices and makes sure that food doesn’t get expired and poisoned. As a result, proper hygiene by employees must be practiced ensuring effective food safety that protects the public and reduces the risk of pollution.

Nutrients That Regulate Body Functions

The proper nutrients that regulate body functions are important to everyone and especially those that work in food-related workplaces to ensure a healthy working environment and proper food safety standards. Since health problems are on a rise due to the unhealthy lifestyles of the general population by employee’s nutritional guidelines must reinforce the importance of consuming the proper nutrients that the body needs to work effectively.

When workers are eating excessive junk food with high fat it brings all kinds of illness to workers themselves from coughing on food which causes saliva to fall onto the food and the need to have more need of medical assistance this causing employer to spend more money on medical expenses to help treat their workers. Some of the illnesses that workers suffer from lack of healthy nutrition to body and over-consumption of junk food workers can’t perform their duty at the workplace due to obesity, cancer, and diabetes. Therefore, it is important that food manufacturers stress the importance of having their employees eat healthier and nutritional guidelines must ensure the public is aware of the proper foods they need to eat to be healthy.

Recommendations

Food safety issues can be prevented and extra precaution must be taken to ensure that our foods are properly regulated. The first safety hazard that I have analyzed is HAACP program the lack of proper inspection of food which causes some dangerous bacteria called botulism this is caused by individuals who eat foods that contain botulism toxin due not using the seven principles of HACCP standards which is execution of a hazard examination which looks at the risk of penitential food and health and safety policies which will prevent employees in the future to work while their sick.

The other principle that can be used is the critical control point which is used to identify a potential element of a disappointment of the measures that are used to determine a failure in the food safety such as warming food and cooking. The last important principle workplace should follow when handling food is creating a HACCP plan this will allow the workplace to be more organized and function on a plan how to give special training and more effective communication when distributing and serving foods.

The key to having an effective healthy environment is to look at the root cause of having an unhealthy wellbeing. Not having a healthy diet can lead to long-term illnesses such as cancer, mood change, and poor physical performance in the workplace. There are solutions to this problem and one such solution is to start a healthy eating program for the workers. This can influence a positive outcome in the workplace by promoting healthy lifestyles among the workers. The healthy eating program will give a lot of benefits to everyone when they follow these steps to reduce the unhealthy diet. For example, healthy eating programs can provide excellent nutrition to eat in the workplace such as fish, vegetables, milk, etc.

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This will prevent workers from being overworked and allow them to perform to the best of their ability. The will handle food properly and take the time to ensure that proper food safety standards are met. Personal hygiene also affects employees and the people around them which is why workers must always be aware of their activities and always keep a clean personal habit. In conclusion, effective food safety standards must be practiced by the manufacturers and their employees to prevent illnesses and diseases. Furthermore, healthy nutritional guidelines must reinforce the importance of having employees and the public eating the proper nutrients that are required to properly sustain their bodies.

Table of contents

1. Make-Over Your Favorite Meals
Think About Food DifferentlyBecome Familiar with PinterestAllow for MistakesGet Creative

My journey with food has been anything but easy. A chronic dieter for years, I had what could be considered a “bad relationship” with food. It was sort of a love-hate thing. What I wanted, I couldn’t have and if I did have it, I usually experienced guilt or weight gain. When I finally gave up dieting and entered the world of natural health and clean eating, I was thrilled to be able to have a good relationship with food again.

Then I discovered I had food sensitivities.

Enter old feelings about food. I was back to feeling deprived and controlled by my diet. I wasn’t always able to have what I wanted, and I was frustrated about the limitations that dictated who I could eat with, where I could go, and even what I could cook.

It took some time, but I soon learned to see my food sensitivities as inspiration instead of deprivation. The challenge to create amazing and mouth-watering foods with different ingredients opened my eyes up to new culinary options I hadn’t previously considered. The closed door on a handful of ingredients opened a world of opportunity to expand my culinary pleasures.

Now, as I work with clients who learn of their own food sensitivities, I watch them have the same disappointed reactions I once did. Sometimes they are angry, frustrated, and even sad because of the emotional connection we all have to food and the social environments that surround it. With guidance and encouragement, they, too, are able to find the inspiration and fun in the new structure of their diet.

If you have found yourself experiencing food sensitivities, don’t be discouraged! Here are 5 steps that can help you take food sensitivities from deprivation to inspiration.

Make-Over Your Favorite Meals

Sometimes when we first discover food sensitivities, it’s easy to assume our favorite meals containing these foods are no longer an option. While there are some cases where that is true, more often than not, there are ways we can have the meal with some adjustments to the ingredients. With food sensitives on the rise, there are many online resources for food substitution so you can swap cow’s dairy for coconut milk, or wheat flour for teff flour, even eggs for bananas or flax seeds.

Think About Food Differently

Culturally speaking, we have certain expectations about what our meals should consist of. In the US, breakfast often includes some combination of eggs, gluten, and/or dairy. I can have none of those, so breakfast suddenly became a little challenging. But who says breakfast HAS to be “breakfast-y” foods? In other countries, none of those ingredients are used at breakfast. In India, breakfast may be a crepe made of lentils. In Japan, it’s often fish and miso soup. Simply adjusting our expectations can allow us to think outside of the box for new options. Instead of having a traditional American breakfast, I might have a quinoa bowl with organic chicken sausage and roasted vegetables. Adding spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg or even a small drizzle of maple syrup allows me to still taste those familiar breakfast flavors I sometimes crave.

Become Familiar with Pinterest

At the beginning, recipes will be your best friend with making adjustment to your diet. Tap into the many resources of people who have similar food requirements so you can glean from their experiences. Not everything will automatically be healthy, but all the recipes will get your mind thinking about substitutions and options that avoid your food sensitivities. Use the recipes as a guide and make adjustments to best suit your needs.

Allow for Mistakes

When a child is first learning to walk or ride a bike, they fall….A LOT! The first time you try a gluten-free muffin or a soy-free stir-fry, it may not be an overwhelming success. Every “mistake” in the kitchen expands your knowledge and builds your skills, not just for that specific dish, but also for other things you will try in the future. Experiment! Try new combinations, being aware they may not work the best but you’ll know more for trying.

Get Creative

When you have become confident and comfortable working around your food sensitivities, don’t be afraid to get creative! This is where the inspiration that comes from food sensitivities can really shine. It’s where things get FUN….and food should be fun. Allow me to illustrate. I have a cow’s dairy sensitivity, so store bought ice cream is often out of the question. I tried to buy the coconut milk ice cream at our local grocery store for a special occasion, but it had other ingredients I couldn’t have and wasn’t willing to feed my family. Determined to have ice cream, I tapped into my culinary creative and ended up making one of the most amazing ice creams I had EVER had. It started with thinking about flavors I was in the mood for and then building from there. In the end, I had a coconut milk-based ice cream with bourbon-browned thyme pecans, and coconut cream caramel. Totally dairy free, plus it was free of refined sugar and all the unnecessary additives that accompanied the store-bought products. My non-food sensitivity husband LOVED it and said it was one of his favorites ever, too. A food win? I’d say so. And it’s all thanks to allowing myself to be inspired instead of limited by my food sensitivities.

Food sensitivities are sometimes a big change, but they can prompt an exciting and refreshing make-over to your typical diet. Try something new today and see where the flavors take you. You may be surprised just how much you can love food that loves your body.

Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies is a collection of short works that explore and examine issues of identity and assimilation between Indian and American cultures. Weaved into and between each story and each struggle is the presence of traditional Indian food and the nuances of its ritualized preparation. It serves as a metaphor for several things in interaction with the coping protagonists of her stories: community, normalcy, culture, love, and so on. The meaning of food, its implications and effects, is most prevalent in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,” “Mrs. Sen’s,” and “A Temporary Matter.”

“When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine” exudes food symbolism from beginning to end, even in its title. “Coming to dine” is, in and of itself, a social event, a routinized gathering to share space and conversation over a meal. Sifting through phone books and university directories, Lilia’s parents search tirelessly for Indian surnames in an attempt to find dinner company - that is, until they find a Pakistani man named Mr. Pirzada. When he arrives at their home, he introduces a portrait of his daughters, “producing from his wallet a black-and-white picture of seven girls at a picnic… eating chicken curry off of banana leaves.” (23) Picnicking represents recreation and familial bonding, and his introduction of them through that particular snapshot of their lives frames them in a context that Lilia can relate to and empathize with. When Lilia’s father tries to explain that Mr. Pirzada “is no longer considered Indian,” Lilia finds it hard to recognize the differences between he and her parents, noting that they both “ate pickled mangoes with their meals, ate rice every night for supper with their hands… for dessert dipped austere biscuits into successive cups of tea” and interacted like any other Indians would. (25) Even at her young age, Lilia understands the meaning of food eaten between people of like-culture, the sense of security and the shared understanding that come with it. In several scenes, Lilia helps her mother prepare the table for dining or sets condiments and spices beside their plates, fully aware of the refined blend of tastes customary - even expected - of Indian meals. She describes her mother’s efforts in putting together a meal for her family, bringing forth a “succession of dishes” to the living room where they would sit across from the television and await news from Dacca. (30) The labor afforded by her mother is representative of Indian tradition and the women that spend hours in the kitchen concocting elaborate traditional meals for their guests on a nightly basis. By bringing the food out of the dining room and onto the couch, Lahiri signifies an informal scene; in this way, she uses food to break down the polite distance between family and invitee and creates a smaller, more special space.

In “Mrs. Sen’s,” Lahiri presents the significance of food in a much less communal setting, through the eyes of a young boy - Elliot - under the wary supervision of a lone professor’s wife. Separated by an ocean from her family, Mrs. Sen uses the ritualized practice of cutting vegetables, cooking stews, and hand-selecting fish to keep ties with her ideas of normalcy and sociality. Elliot observes that a great deal of Mrs. Sen’s day is occupied by her detailed preparation for grandiose meals she serves her husband when he returns from work. She lays out newspapers opposite the television and sits comfortably with a steel blade, peeling, slicing, and chopping an assortment of vegetables for nearly an hour every day. The procedure utilizes a cultural instrument and reflects, as Mrs. Sen explains to Elliot, a ritual of sorts in which neighborhood women celebrated an important event by “[sitting] in an enormous circle on the roof of [her] building, laughing and gossiping and slicing fifty kilos of vegetables through the night.” (115) Her recollection of the practice as a social event, a scaffold for bonding between women, juxtaposes her alternate practice, performed without need for occasion and with only the television to keep her company; it only emphasizes her estrangement from family and friends, and reiterates her day-to-day alienation. The lengths to which Mrs. Sen is willing to go to secure fresh fish for her dishes, and the precise care with which she portions and fillets each one, is extremely telling of how important cooking proper meals is for traditional Indian women. She pushes herself out of her comfort zone to travel to the fish market by the beach, even going as far as getting behind the wheel without a license when Mr. Sen is unavailable (or unwilling) to drive her all the way over. Lahiri also uses Mrs. Sen to draw a distinction between a traditional Indian woman and Elliot’s American mother and how their cooking, or the degree to which they do, signifies a pronounced difference in culture. Every evening, when Elliot’s mother comes to pick him up, Mrs. Sen extends the courtesy of inviting her into the living room and serves her something to eat; she always nibbles a bit on whatever she’s given, chalks up her small appetite to a late lunch, and then orders a pizza for she and Elliot when they arrive home. Mrs. Sen’s rigor toward preparing home-cooked meals is absolutely lost on Elliot’s mother. Correspondingly, Elliot feels much more involved and important when observing the effort by Mrs. Sen to prepare and cook dinner for her husband than when his mother orders takeout and leaves him to wrap leftovers on his own. The hours spent preparing traditional meals is indicative of a sense of appreciation and compassion by Indian mothers for their children, while fast food feels more indifferent, and speaks more to the weaker affections (or lack thereof) between an American mother and her child.

Lahiri explores the ideas of love and compassion as represented by food and cooking in “A Temporary Matter” through the experiences of a disjointed married couple, Shoba and Shukmar. Following the death of their newborn son, Shukmar witnesses a profound change in his wife - her intrinsic “capacity to think ahead,” her impulse to prepare and store ready-to-serve, home-cooked food for any possible visitor or occasion, suddenly disappears. (6) He recalls her ability to “throw together meals that appeared to have taken half a day to prepare… peppers she had marinated herself with rosemary, and chutneys that she cooked on Sundays, stirring boiling pots of tomatoes and prunes” and the gratification it provided her. (7) Shukmar’s testimony of the stark contrast of his wife before and after their son’s death is representative of the heart put into Shoba’s traditional home cooking; when her grief presides her efforts, she completely stops caring to even heat up meals from her prepared stock, leaving Shukmar to heat up what was left for the two of them and noting that, “if it weren’t for him, Shoba would eat a bowl of cereal for her dinner.” (8) He can just as easily purchase ready-made, microwaveable meals for Shoba to heat up, but his concern for her wellbeing and willingness - enthusiasm, even - to pore through her cookbooks and prepare full meals for their dinner indicates that he loves her, and still cares to extend the effort. Inversely, he notes that, “for their first anniversary, Shoba had cooked a ten-course dinner just for him,” but gifted him a lone sweater-vest for their third anniversary, and presently has stopped cooking for him altogether - a sequence symbolic of their depreciating relationship. (18) In this story, Lahiri uses cooking and preparation of food as a measure of sentiment and intimacy, comparing endeavors in the kitchen to the strength of the couple’s deteriorating marriage.

It holds true within any culture that a home-cooked meal brings people together and allows bridges to be built, but Lahiri takes the meaning of food to another level. Like many other things, traditional cooking and food tips the scales in the balancing act of maintaining a sense of both cultures and ties people to their roots. Through her characters, their meals possess a special symbolism and act as a means of grappling with the conflicting ideas of culture, identity, and emotion that come with being immigrants or first-generation members of a community.

Pablo Picasso is one of the most successful artists in history. He alone drove the revolutionary cubic art movement. When Picasso realized the link between the brain, creativity and food, he asked his doctor for a recipe for food to stimulate the brain. Although food alone cannot be credited by Paul's creativity, it is worth looking at, as it can actually increase creativity. Like Picasso, the rules of creativity and intellectual ability have not changed. To be more creative, you will have to eat more, not only in good quantity but also in quality.

Brain foods are like gas for the car; there is a lot of gasoline for the car, but from experience, we have all come to understand that there are certain oils that are good and others that are not. The same goes for the brain's stimulant foods. Some are extremely important while others help little or nothing to increase the power and creativity of the brain.

Here are some time-tested foods that have been shown to increase brain power. Include them in your diets today and you'll be amazed at the increasing number of creative ideas that will come naturally to you.

Cold water fish

The brain is a mass of fat and to maintain this fat content, you will need to take the right type and power of brain-quantity for optimal performance...

Cold water fish are the best sources of omega-3s, which are the best food for the brain.

Omega-3 helps develop brain neurons and helps boost the overall power of transmission of brains. When it increases, the brain's power of transmission helps to coordinate different parts of the brain for greater creativity.

The best source of omega-3 fatty acids is aquatic life, such as salmon and mackerel; these two are also excellent sources of vitamin D, which is also vital to the body.

If you must increase your creativity, including omega-3 in your diet is not an option and when these fish are not available, you can supplement your meals with omega-3 supplements.

Eggs

Protein is necessary for healthy tissue growth. Protein as a nutrient provides the body with the proper amount of power from cerebromaterials needed for healthy tissue growth and repair.

Naturally, it is completely impossible to consume the correct amount of protein needed for healthy growth without adding significant weights. This is why eggs continue to be the healthy protein choice among most lovers of healthy weight loss.

Eggs provide a healthy source of protein for the human body. Its protein content is relatively high and, as such, it provides relatively high nutrients in a condensed amount.

Eggs not only provide proteins that are necessary for the growth and regeneration of brain and body cells, but eggs have also been shown to contain an active amount of choline...

Many studies have shown that choline improves cognitive ability and even the ability to remember things easily.

You may want to add boiled eggs to your portions every day to enhance your boost to your brain's creativity... Be sure to eat the yolk as it contains the most choline.

Green Cruciferous

We didn't all understand why our parents want us to eat broccoli or cauliflower. Not that they are the most delicious brain food power, but most of us were forced to swallow them anyway.

Well, thanks to parents for that, because, according to scientists, cruciferous vegetables help boost brain power and creativity.

Crucifer vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli contain potassium that helps the brain heal itself...

They are also among the few rich sources of vitamin K that help improve cognitive ability as well as being low in fat and will not alter your weight no matter how much you eat. This makes them very suitable for filling your stomach and preventing hunger pangs that inadvertently lead to weight gain.

Oat flour

Although the body needs a lot of glucose to obtain energy, it cannot produce it or store it properly for use in the power of the cerebrofuture. As such, you will need to eat a large amount of foods rich in glucose to get the most out of them.

Oats are the best source of glucose for the body. It contains a large amount of carbohydrates which in turn break down into glucose. The body burns them for energy.

Table of contents

1. Introduction to the Topic
What are the Facts?What are the Economic Costs?
2. Research Methods
The Democrats OpinionThe Conservatives OpinionConservative Opinion Cont. Facts along the Border
3. Conclusion
4. Works Cited

Introduction to the Topic

Since the election of President Trump, there has been a promise from his, as well as his campaign team that a physical wall will be constructed along the southern border. At the onset of this statement, there was going to be a clear divide between those voted for and supported Trump, and those who saw him as a vile contestant in the race for the Commander in chief of the United States of America. What do the Conservatives see as a positive outcome of the wall? What do the Liberals see as a negative outcome of the wall? There are many questions to be asked of when researching this topic. The goal is to see a correlation between whether someone considers themselves a Liberal or Conservative, and their respective Wall opinions. With such a strong divide of supporters and anti supporters, there is conflict when talking about this topic. Is a United States of America with the wall, a true utopia? Or is a United States of America without the wall, a true utopia? As the author, it is a goal to remain unbiased and simply point out the facts in regards to both sides of this seemingly everlasting topic.

What are the Facts?

As background knowledge to the current topic at hand, there is much to look in to. During his campaign, Trump had promised a true “physical” wall along the nearly 2,000-mile stretch of land. Trump and his campaign manager have said that 5.7 billion US dollars are what is estimated to complete this structure. The reason for this desire is because, close to one-third of the current border, is a patrolled border. This means there is no actual physical border separating the United States from Mexico. It is being seperated by our highly militarized and border patrol agents, as well as natural separators. Vast mountains, rivers, and stretches of land separate us from Mexico, where a physical wall does not. For the areas of the wall that do in fact physically separate the United States from Mexico, they are in crucial need of an upgrade. Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost states that “As our adversaries are increasingly sophisticated we must invest in an upgraded border wall system to keep pace against the threat.” (Timmons). In the conversation today, it seems that border security is a must. And we can all agree that we need to keep our people, and the land of the free, safe.

What are the Economic Costs?

Congress has since approved 1.7 billion dollars in funding to be spent for nearly 124 miles of the new border. In addition to this, Congress has recently in the last month, approved an additional 1.4 billion dollars for 55 more miles of the border wall. Safe from drugs, and safe from criminals, but at what cost aside from money, is this all necessary? Must we build a costly wall and restrict many foreigners from entering? This is the land of the free, but that statement also means we should have the freedom to protect our American people. This, by building the wall and lowering drug rates as well as illegal immigrant rates. What’s the true cost and can there be a compromise to satisfy both sides?

Research Methods

Throughout the research process, much of the sources that are used, and articles that are read, are opinionated and target a specific crowd. This is done, so the writer can strategically “pick” the reader. Sources do this typically with politically driven subjects. Many of those sources are bias to their political opinion so they can take advantage of this in an attempt to persuade readers. When looking into the Grant-Davie article on Rhetorical Situations, and their Constituents this point in proven. Said in the article, “ Political speeches often use specific topics to represent larger, more enduring issues such as questions of civil rights, public safety, free enterprise, constitutionality, separation of church and state, morality, family values, progress, equality, fairness, and so forth. These larger issues, values, or principles motivate people and can be invoked to lead audiences in certain directions on more specific topics” (Grant-Davie). Here, Grant-Davie, is saying that articles, sources, and talks, about large and valuable principles, result in motivation. It is the writer’s goal to motivate the reader into one opinion over the other. The result of this is a large group of highly motivated readers that have taken into account, only the writer’s opinion on that subject, rarely ever do those articles contain the true facts.

The Democrats Opinion

When looking into the left, or the Democratic opinion, much of the research is expressed through tense emotion. Trump’s wall is not a physic building, but more a cultural difference. It extends not only to the United States and Mexico but also to the aspects of religion. Christians and Muslims, as well as immigrants from all countries that think they are more than others. To the left, the separation of countries and the construction of the wall is a form of racial discrimination, culture, and power. All aspects which stimulate fear, hatred, and distrust. This seems to be just one of the reasons for the left to dislike the idea of wall construction.

To another point, not only would the wall be costly, but a majority of what the United States already has, is “enough” in the opinion of the left. “…most people in the United States are opposed to building the new barrier, particularly one with a price tag of somewhere between $15 and $40 billion USD— or somewhere between 101 and 270 times the National Endowment for the Arts’ annual budget, estimates Carolina Miranda in the Los Angeles Times.”(Schlechter 145). With rising taxes and increasing budgets, it is seemingly impossible to see a break for the suffering middle class. With this being said what more could the left bring to the table in their fight for no wall?

Next comes the issue of privacy and what has already been built. According to Schlechter, “Most of the already-existing walls and fencing stand on federally-owned land. Much of the rest of the land where Trump’s Great Wall would be built is either privately-held or owned by Native tribes. Given this fact, the Trump administration will have a big legal battle on its hands” (Schlechter 146). This would bring a whole new onset of issues to Trump and his administration.

In addition to what would become a very large and tedious legal battle, there is also the idea that what the United States has now, is working and will continue to work. With so much of our current souther border being littered with many different forms and materials from walls that have failed in the past, why make another attempt? The left sees no reason to try again for another working birder, as it has failed in many past administrations. Throughout the many different administrations that have come through the White House, many have attempted to either fix or add to the southern border. “The U.S.-Mexico borderlands is also already littered with several hundred miles of barricades—in the form of walls, fences, and low-lying vehicle barriers—almost all of which were constructed since the mid-1990s, across administrations, both Democratic and Republican. In some of the most urbanized stretches along the international divide, double-layered barriers exist.

In and around San Diego, for example, a corrugated metal wall is paired with a steel mesh fence, portions of which are topped with concertina wire” (Schlechter 152). It can be said that the strong liberal desire for no wall, steams from their view on the “perfect” society. The strong reasons for the border wall come from Trump and the statistics that point out the mass flow of narcotics and illegal immigrants that come into the United States. When looking at the ideals of what the average Democrat sees in America, the wall completely contradicts this. Every Democrat in office or campaign builds their reputation on the desire that American will become a “immigration safe haven” with borders open to all. If we build the wall and heighten border security, where are the immigrants supposed to go? This could possibly be one of the main reasons as to why Democrats fight so hard to keep the new wall only a dream for Trump and his administration.

In addition to these conflicts, at nearly 6.5 million dollars per mile, for a new wall, could we be spending our money in a more efficient and usable way? Liberals also have the support from Senator Ted Cruz, which comes as a surprise, that money should not just solely be spent on the construction of the wall, but to also increase the technology used to screen mail coming in from China. As fentanyl comes into the United States from there at alarming rates. Cruz does not fully support the wall because of this reason. Democratic presidential nominee Hubert Humphrey, while running against Nixon, stated that “The Republican Party has forgotten, if it ever remembered, people of Spanish surname,” Humphrey said, “They have forgotten what we call ‘Mexican-Americans’ … You can read the record of the Republican Party … and my friends, you’ll never find anything about El Paso. You’ll never find anything about a Spanish-speaking American.” (Timmons). There seems to be a assumption that throughout Republican presidential campaigns, throughout history, have done away with the idea of Mexican Americans.

To the advantage of the Democrats, much of what Trump and his administration have talked about, in regards to why the wall should be built, has proven to be exaggerated. According the The Washington Post, counties that are along the southern border, are among the safest counties in the United States. “The crime rates in U.S. border counties are lower than the average for similarly sized inland counties, with two exceptions out of 23 total” (Horton). So where does the fear of undocumented immigrants killing Americans come from? Sally Kohn, writer for USA Today, brings up convincing evidence in regards to illegal border crossings. They happen to be down from the peak in 2000. Back then, nearly 1.6 million people were apprehended in their attempts to cross the border. These numbers are similar to those seen in 2001. 1.3 million apprehended. In the past year, 400,000 were apprehended. Quite a significant difference. Though these facts alone will not convince the Conservative political figures and think tanks. Their opinions are just as strong as the Democrats.

The Conservatives Opinion

During the early 2000s, neurologist Read Montague conducted a study attempting to find a correlation between neural responses and political ideology. It consisted of showing subjects disturbing images while conducting a brain scan. The results were astonishing. Montague states “The brains of liberals and conservatives reacted in wildly different ways to repulsive pictures: Both groups reacted, but different brain networks were stimulated” (Montague 3). When compared to liberals, the conservatives in the study generally paid more attention to and reacted more strongly to a large array of threats. That last sentence is on that comes to stand out the most, as conservatives and their brain scans during this test, were found to be less apprehensive when it came to threats. This can be correlated to the base of a conservatives campaign. Whether in office, congress, or senate, most conservatives build their arguments off of the fight for safety. Looking at the array of threats our current border security allows. It is only within their nature, that a political conservative would react more strongly to these threats. This reaction resulting in the support for Trump’s wall.

Conservative Opinion Cont. Facts along the Border

According to the US Customs and Border Patrol statistics, specifically, drugs seized along the border, results are staggering. In 2018, it can be estimated that 80% of fentanyl, 87% of methamphetamine, 88% of cocaine, and 90% of heroin was seized along the US Mexico border. There is clearly a positive correlation between drug interception and a southern border. In addition to the facts above, Trump’s administration has stated numerous times that 90% of all narcotics that make their way into the United States come across the southern border. A release of a conference with President Trump from the White House, states “Last month, more than 76,000 illegal migrants arrived at our border. We’re on track for a million illegal aliens to rush our borders. People hate the word “invasion,” but that’s what it is. It’s an invasion of drugs and criminals and people. We have no idea who they are, but we capture them because border security is so good. But they’re put in a very bad position, and we’re bursting at the seams. Literally, bursting at the seams. What Border Patrol is able to do is incredible.” (Trump).

Nearly 80,000 illegals made an attempt to cross our current border into the United States, with those kinds of numbers, an upgraded wall of any kind will result in the higher incarceration rate. That act, protecting millions of Americans. It is in the brain of the average Conservative, to act upon threats more than the average Liberal, in accordance to Read Montague as stated earlier. So why is this? Montagues team, through laboratory research, conducted experiments and found that through a state by state breakdown, researchers found that resistance to immigration was greater in the states that had the highest incidence of infectious disease and the “worry” about that disease was high, found by internet searches through Google Trends. But why at all is this correlated or matter? They seem to be looking at two completely different topics. They happen to be much more related than previously thought. It was concluded that those states with high disgust sensitivity, similar to the spike in search trends around the infectious disease, tend to be hesitant of any stranger, which of course can be directly related to immigrants.

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Conclusion

Throughout the research of this topic, we have looked at the various costs of the Wall, the different opinions brought forth by not only Democrats, but also Republicans, and we have also looked at the cold hard facts. We’ve found, that the reason for each political sides opinion, is their strong perception of life, their eutopia. It was found that a correlation between disgust, and political opinion, tied Conservatives, closely with the same group of people who are weary to outsiders. This would explain one of the right wings desire for a wall. We’ve seen the many reasons why the left wing does not want the wall. The high costs, the uselessness of such project, when a wall is already in place, and the desire for open immigration are just some of the reasons why Democrats do not want the wall. We looked into the cold hard facts. What’s already out there? It has been clear that the wall will be costly. There have been reasons provided as to why the wall is a good idea, and there have been reasons as to why the wall would be a bad idea. As the writer, it is not up to me to persuade you as the reader into choosing one side over the other. Though, as the writer it is my job to point out the facts and bring all to the table. The decision comes down to you and only you. Don’t be persuaded by the politically biased articles out there. Do your research by looking deep and decide for yourself, is the wall For Better or Worse?

Works Cited

1. Alba, D. (2019). Trump's Border Wall: A Reality Check. Journal of International Affairs, 72(2), 119-125.
2. Boushey, H., Hersh, A., & John, J. (2020). Who Bears the Economic Costs of the Trump Border Wall? Center for American Progress.
3. Chishti, M., & Hipsman, F. (2019). Border Walls and their Impacts on Migration Trends. Migration Policy Institute. Retrieved from https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/border-walls-impact-migration-trends
4. Grant-Davie, K. (1997). Rhetorical Situations and Their Constituents. College Composition and Communication, 48(4), 525-555.
5. Krogstad, J. M. (2019). 5 facts about illegal immigration in the US. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/06/12/5-facts-about-illegal-immigration-in-the-u-s/
6. Lee, B. J., & Capps, R. (2019). Cutting through the Rhetoric: The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of Immigration Reform. Migration Policy Institute.
7. Lerner, M. (2019). How Trump’s Wall Would Alter Our Biological Identity. The Nation. Retrieved from https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/trumps-wall-biological-identity/
8. Schlechter, A. (2019). Trump's Wall: Costs, Benefits, and Ethics. Global Education Review, 6(3), 143-156.
9. Timmons, H. (2019). Trump's Wall and Border Security: Separating Fact from Fiction. CQ Researcher, 29(32), 753-776.
10. Valenzuela, A., & Morales, E. (2019). The Real Costs of Trump's Border Wall. The Atlantic. Retrieved from

In the year 1373 A.D., thirty-year-old Lady Julian lay on her deathbed in Norwich, England, after suffering for weeks from an unknown illness (Julian VII). Around the year 3100 B.C., the war of Mahabharata broke out in India, leaving villages in devastation and the people of India in despair (Gita IX). These two events, separated by thousands of years, seemingly have little in common. However both events led to deep, theological texts that have been read for centuries: Lady Julian's Revelation of Love and the Hindi Mahabharata. These texts seem to be as different as the events that produced them. Lady Julian shaped her work as a devout Christian in the Middle Ages; her ideas would seemingly never be comparable to the holiest text of a Middle Eastern religion. However, Julian's views on the transcendence of God's love and the drive beyond human suffering continually parallel the ideas and values expressed in the Mahabharata's most famous book, The Bhagavad Gita.

Both Revelation of Love and The Bhagavad Gita deal with human suffering and the necessity of God in moments of despair. Julian focuses on God while she is in great pain: "... I felt my body was dead... [but] I thought to myself that I was well, for my eyes were set [to God and] heaven, where I trusted to come..." (Julian 6). She expresses, however, that "...left to myself with all the heaviness and weariness of life- I was burdened with myself so that I barely had patience to live" (34). Without God, she clearly states, her despair would have defeated her. In The Bhagavad Gita, a warrior named Arjuna turns to Krishna, a human manifestation of the Hindu God Vishnu (essentially the Hindi equivalent to Christ), seeking help through his desolation in life and in his metaphorical war between soul and despair:

Arjuna was overcome with great compassion and sorrowfully spoke these words: O Krishna... my limbs fail and my mouth becomes dry. The bow slips from my hand, and my skin intensely burns, O Krishna... It would be far better for me if my cousin brothers kill me with their weapons in battle while I am unarmed and unresisting. Having said this in the battlefield and casting aside his bow and arrow, Arjuna sat down on the seat of the chariot with his mind overwhelmed with sorrow and despair. (Gita 1:30-47)

By throwing down his bow, Arjuna is not just giving up his mortal life, but is giving up his faith for despair. Neither Julian nor Arjuna, however, is truly overcome. Both are granted visions from God, Julian in the form of Jesus, Arjuna in the form of Krishna. To Arjuna's grief, Krishna responds, notably by laughing, "You grieve for what is not worthy of grief. The wise one grieves neither for the living nor for the dead. There was never a time when these monarchs, you, or I did not exist; nor shall we ever cease to exist in the future... therefore, why grieve, Arjuna?" (Gita 2:11-15). Krishna continues to state what is now a characteristic Buddhist and Hindu saying: "Life is dukkha [a Hindi word that is loosely translated as despair or sorrow]" (Gita 4). It is said in both of these Eastern traditions that our great goal in life is to rise above this sorrow. However, the term is really more than simply a type of grief. Many translators have defined this as a deep angst in life, which is usually associated with mortality or a separation from the Lord, an idea that is reflected many times in Julian's revelations.

In one of Julian's visions of Jesus, he says to her, "Where now is there any point in the pain or your grief?"- "[w]hatever you do, you will have sorrow. Therefore I want you to understand... that all this life is a penance that is for your benefit..." (Julian 45; 168). Besides the troubles of despair being comparable in the texts, both Krishna and Jesus point to love as being the key to the end of their disciples' suffering.

Both Julian's revelations and Krishna's teachings focus on the theme of universal love between God and His creations. Julian states: "For before he made us, he loved us; and when we were made, we loved him... and thus the human soul is made of God and in the same point knit to God. All the souls... without end are knit in this knot and oned in this oneing, and made holy in his holiness" (Julian 118-19). This absolute love is equally expressed in The Bhagavad Gita, as Krishna states: "Brahman [the Ultimate Spirit] is equally present in all beings. There is no one [that is] hateful to me. But those who love me with love and devotion are very close to me and I am close to them" (Gita 9:29). This idea, while common in Eastern religions, is rarely mentioned in Western Christianity. Usually, God is separated as "other," and not in connection with oneself. However, this conception of God or the Spirit (Brahman) being present in all is wholly expounded on in both The Bhagavad Gita and in Julian's revelations.

Moreover, there is the theme that God/Brahman is in every action and is, in fact, the "true doer" of that action: "One beholds one and the same Lord exiting equally in every being... The one who perceives that all works are done by the powers of such a Nature truly understands, and thus does not consider oneself as the doer" (Gita 13:28-29). In fact, according to the Krishna's verses: "The wise one who knows the truth thinks: 'I do nothing at all.' In seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, walking, sleeping, breathing; and speaking, giving, taking, opening and closing the eyes, the wise know... this is all Brahman" (Gita 5:08-9). Likewise, Julian says: "...I saw that [God] is in all things... I saw clearly that God does all things, even the very least...It is easy to understand that the best things are well done: yet as equally well as the best and highest deed is done, so too is the least thing well done; and all because it belongs to the order God ordained... for he is the only doer" (Julian 26-7). Seeing this highly Eastern concept in a Western text is unexpected and rather astonishing. Julian expresses a highly intuitive and open mind and soul, accepting this highly foreign ideology and putting it to her own beliefs. Julian continues with this idea, stating: "...I saw no difference between God and our substance, but as it were all God... We are enclosed in the Father, and we are enclosed in the Son, and we are enclosed in the Holy Spirit. And the Father is enclosed in us, and the Son is enclosed in us, and the Holy Spirit is enclosed in us..." (120). God being present in all things is important to the idea of love in both The Bhagavad Gita and Julian's Revelations. For instance, whenever there is love between people, there is love of God, because God is in those people. Therefore, for the love of God, we love all of His people. This idea is the link to a universal peace and also makes the love of God much more personal. By worshipping God as a person, The Bhagavad Gita explains: "...the wise are able to assume human-like relationships with Brahman" (Gita 9). D. Platt, in his introduction to The Bhagavad Gita, expounds on this belief, saying that there are : "[many roles of] God as parent, devotee as child; God as Lord, devotee as servant. It is also much easier for many people to develop love toward God when He is regarded as a person. Such love is capable of triggering a spiritual awakening once it is a pure, selfless love" (Gita VI). Julian expresses this as well, in her mention of Jesus as Brother, Mother, Savior, lover, both Lord and Servant, and dear friend (Julian 121-29). This personal love makes one's devotion to God much more natural and open. It is this sense of love that pulls both Julian and Arjuna out of despair and pain, and it is the point of the Revelation of Love and The Bhagavad Gita.

The amazing similarities between Julian of Norwich's spiritual revelations and the text of The Bhagavad Gita still amaze me. It is hard to comprehend that centuries have passed since these texts were written, and that the division between the ideas of Christianity and Hinduism has grown to such an extent. Now there is barely any semblance between the two, even though both of the fundamental ideals are so similar. Though I saw merit in the ideal before, I now more than ever believe in the transcendental unity of all religions. It is just as Julian stated in her final revelation: "Would you know your Lord's meaning in this thing? Know it well: love was his meaning. Who showed it you? Love. What did he show you? Love. Wherefore did he show it you? For love. Hold yourself therein and you shall know and learn more in the same; but you shall never know nor learn another thing therein without end" (Julian 181). While these two texts are far from the same, their messages are corresponding. Their message is Love. Their message is to turn to that Love in times of despair, and to believe in that Love of God.

Works Cited

Julian of Norwich. Revelation of Love. Trans. Skinner, John. New York: Doubleday. 1996.

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The Bhagavad Gita. Trans. The American and International Gita Society. Khapara Mohal: Bhavan Books. 1992.