Love Thy Partner

the romantic in us all can’t help but swoon for true and honest forms of love. the partnered dynamic is one riddled with it’s own intricacies unique to that of the relationships we surround ourself with.

Kris Sanchez

One of the most common causes of death in wild animals is starvation. Some animal species lay between thousands to millions of eggs at once but only few survive to adulthood. Food shortages interrupt their prosperity, leaving the smallest of the packs without their share. As such, many species have learnt to hoard rations to prepare for times when food would be scarce.

Growing up in an eight-person household, I’d say I’m quite familiar with this tactic.

house and one to give away to mine. When we cook meals together, he splits our food evenly down the middle so that we each eat equallysized portions, even though he has a far greater appetite.

One night, I had this surprising urge to drop off food at his house.

My styrofoam container full of leftovers from dinner doesn’t sit casually at the front of the fridge. It’s at the back of the bottom shelf with my name written on it in Sharpie, safe from the scrounging hands of my family. And when a good home cooked meal finds its way on the dinner table? I eat as much of it as I can, even if I’m not hungry, just to avoid the regret that would come in the case that there isn’t any more left in a few hours.

It might be selfish, but when food is short and there aren’t even enough ingredients in the fridge to cook, you have to do what you can to survive. I’ve never had a problem with it - not until my boyfriend.

My boyfriend is an only child, which roughly translates to, “his fridge is regularly stocked and his pantry full of snacks.” He loves sharing food.

When he visits Kingston, he brings two boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts - one to share with his

I was going to deliver the laptop charger he had left at my house as he needed it for an exam the following morning. But on my walk over, the thought occurred that he might be hungry from studying all day, and would appreciate it if I brought some food with me too.

I made a stop at Metro and walked the aisles for much longer than I should have with the goal of buying just one item. In the end, I bought a tray of Maki sushi with zero intention of having any of it myself.

When I showed him the sushi, his face glowed. He hadn’t had dinner yet so he devoured the whole tray in just a few minutes. He only gave me one roll, that’s how hungry he was. Watching him eat and seeing his face of contentment was a reward different than any food had ever brought me. It was a new feeling that I wanted to feel more of.

Since then, sharing food has become an instinct, and is something I look forward to rather than avoid doing. Now, when I pack for long days at the library, I always bring two granola bars with me. Sharing food has never felt better.