We celebrated my wife’s birthday on Sunday, and started it with a great meal. There’s something about celebrating any type of event with great food and great company. And, there is also something amazing about how great food allows us to accomplish thinking in ways we might not have thought possible had we been on an empty stomach.
We are big breakfast eaters, so we went to an excellent place in New Jersey called the Brownstone Pancake Factory (it’s in Edgewater). We sat right away and looked over the extensive menu. Sometimes, great restaurants provide too many choices (that’s a good reflection point for another blog post). This one was no exception. So, we all decided to share, which we did, and had a great meal.
And, the meal was so great that we were all well-fed through much of the day. We even brought home leftovers.
Whether in our personal or professional lives, taking time to break bread with others is an important part of what it means to form a community, and to truly collaborate. Eating together involves lowering boundaries and welcoming all the behavioral and social norms that come along with eating with others. Whenever possible we should encourage time to eat together as it helps to show both the necessity of nourishment and the necessity of companionship. A great meal is made greater by great company, and company is always made better by the presence of great food.