Breaking Bread: May 4, 2012
Around here we often joke that the Mooreland Hill School community does food well. At the beginning of the year we set the stage for a year’s worth of fine and simple dining. The new and returning parents reception allows us to introduce new families to our fondness for food. Hors d’ouevres and finger sandwiches, along with salmon and shrimp, hint at the gustatory pleasures that await us during the rest of the year.
Our own soccer and basketball tournaments include in their planning menus for lunch. Of course, our tournament fare at Bement is legendary and has been for about a generation, thus making it a tradition as far as I am concerned.
In December, we celebrate the holidays with the International Luncheon, another long-standing tradition. We have tasty desserts now at the poetry recitations. The list continues with the sixth grade pasta dinner, occasional paella samplings, Bingo Night and Mural-A-Thon fare, advisor group breakfasts,
Our school picnic at year’s end is simpler, hot dogs and hamburgers at a time of year when we can appreciate a change. The Pre-Graduation Dinner is a formal affair at the Shuttle Meadow Country Club. The following day, we enjoy wonderful finger foods after graduation.
We take pleasure in providing for one another, and we enjoy trying new things. This is embedded in the culture of the school. In thinking about this recently, the significance of our practices surrounding breaking bread underscores the essence of our community. The on-line Urban Dictionary defines breaking bread this way: “To break bread is to affirm trust, confidence, and comfort with an individual or group of people. Breaking bread has a notation of friendliness and informality, derived from the original meaning regarding sharing the loaf.”
Fundamentally, breaking bread is an act of giving of one’s self to others. And we give as we receive, sharing in the process of creating and maintaining equally a strong and nurturing bond that unites our small community.
Last week, the simple act of sharing treats humbled the faculty and staff. You, our parents and students, took time out of your busy schedules to remind us of how you appreciate the tireless dedication of your teachers, advisors, coaches, and caretakers. And you did it in true Mooreland fashion: you gave of yourselves by providing us with treats and good things to eat. It was not only nourishment for the body, but also for our souls. Thank you.
Michael Dooman
