the Light

Max was walking with Grandfather in the fields. They stopped for a picnic lunch in the grass.

Grandfather opened his pack and spread the food on a cloth. Then, he closed his eyes and was still.

“Grandfather,” said Max, “what are you doing?”

“I’m giving thanks,” said his Grandfather.

“Thanks for what?” asked Max.

“Thanks for the light in the food,” said his Grandfather.

Max looked at the food. There was bread, and cheese, and meat. There were apples. But he didn’t see any lights.

“What light?” he asked.

Grandfather picked up a red apple, and held it up to the blue sky.

“All food carries light,” he said.

“During the day, the apple tree turns its leaves to the light. The light goes in the green leaves and helps the tree grow. The light makes the apples grow.

“The apples are made from the light. The light is in the apples.”

He picked up the bread.

“The wheat in the fields is like green grass. The light goes in the grass and makes the wheat grow. We use the wheat to make bread.

“The bread is made from the light. The light is in the bread.” 

He picked up the meat and the cheese.

“The meat, and the milk for the cheese come from a cow. The light grows the grass. The cow eats the grass. The grass grows the cow.

“The cow is eating light. The light is in the cow.”

Then, Grandfather put the food down.

“Here we are, right now.

“We eat the apples, full of light from the tree. We eat the bread, full of light from the wheat. We eat the cheese and the meat, full of light from the cow.”

Grandfather put his hand on his stomach.

“Just like them, like all living things, we eat the light.”

Then he put his hand on his heart.

“And so, eating, the light in these things becomes the light shining inside me.”

And he put his hand on Max’s heart

“And the light shining inside you.”

“And so, before eating, I give thanks. Thanks for the light.”

Max smiled. He smiled a smile as bright as the sun.

“Grandfather…” he said,

“…let’s eat!”