Just a Chicken Story?

 "Grace"  

by Bettina Madini

When we listen to our bodies and don't have a point of view about their choices, what receiving is possible? Our bodies know stuff. And they might have a different point of view than we have....

When I was in Costa Rica earlier this year, someone mentioned to me 'bone soup' and the benefits of it. My body sort of 'listened up', and that made me listen up. What? Bone soup???? What the h...? I have never been a 'radical vegetarian' (luckily) and have listened to my body for as long as I remember. 

So, two days ago, I was at the food coop, and my body went 'chicken!' I went 'Really?' (haven't had chicken FOREVER!) Body went 'whole chicken', and I went searching. Found a beautiful organic chicken. Ha, I wondered 'How do I make this? Like just throw it in a pot with water????' And there it was again. Body said 'bone soup'. HaHaHa! What??? I asked for bones, and the kindest person took me to where they were. Strange view. All kinds of bones. Ha! Hmmmm....! (really, body?) HmHm! was a yes! (Sort of a 'yumm!') Now, I had never in this lifetime made a chicken soup, hadn't had chicken for about 30 years or so. 

I had a moment of pretended helplessness and asked the guy how to prepare that. He took all the time required (thank you so much!) and explained all the steps, and he even brought me a super-fresh chicken. That chicken was actually somehow 'pretty'. It seemed to sparkle at me. (no, I have not lost it! dummy! ... (smile!)) 

At home, I prepared my chicken, and I remembered my grandma and my mom making chicken broth (the real thing), and I was so grateful! After 2 hours of cooking, I took the chicken apart, and I was so grateful! Saw the chicken walk around happily in the grass and being a really wonderful chicken! I saw all the molecules of it's body being such a contribution, not only to my body, but to Joel's body, and my kitty's body and the other wild animal's bodies that would feast over the little chunks that I put in the compost for them. Everything will be celebrated that that chicken contributed. Nothing will be left unused. This moment in itself was such a nurturing kindness to my body and my being. The receiving of THAT was and is priceless.

You could say it's just a chicken story, and it might be, yet it is also a story about dancing molecules, about listening, about receiving and about the amazing gift that our bodies and all bodies are.

I had a little chicken broth sip yesterday, and it was divine. (and my cat? OMG, she couldnt' get over it from joy!)

So, I wonder, What contribution can we receive from our bodies today?