Temptation Never Ends
Tonight was the First Thursday art walk here in downtown Portland. We went to see the MFA show from a local college’s graduating class. In the center of the gallery was a really interesting thing. It was a small table with carrots, hummus, crackers, and M&Ms candy. Someone had poured out a fraction of the M&Ms and left the bag just sitting on the table beside the candy bowl. Both the bag and the bowl called out to me.
The bowl wanted me to take a giant hand full and eat it. The bag wanted me to steal it. It said that nobody was looking and that I should just grab it and walk out. If I made it I’d have gotten to eat stolen M&Ms in every gallery for the rest of the night. It sounded like a good idea. After thinking about it, I grabbed a few carrots and left the premises.
In two of the other galleries they were serving chocolate filling Oreo cookies. I didn’t have any but Gwenn did and I could smell them on her. Oreos smell like nothing else. It’s kind of amazing really, that there’s no scent quite like them. I was tempted to have one but knew that one wouldn’t be enough. I’d need a plate full of Oreos and a bowl full of M&Ms to be satisfied. The only thing that kept me from eating them was willpower. Wait, that’s not true. It’s more than just willpower.
What kept me from eating a bunch of cookies and candy was the fact that I have given in to temptation so many times in the past. After eating junk I know that I’ll feel unpleasant. As fun as it would be to eat sweets right now as I write this, I also know it would make me feel awful. Five to eight hours of misery is just not worth it for 15-20 minutes of snacking fun.
Comments · Temptation Never Ends
True, temptation doesn’t end, but does obsession? I’m so tired of thinking about avoiding sugar, reading labels, worrying about my weight, etc. If I am successfully avoiding sugar, them I am obessively reading labels, preparing meals to take with me to events, packing snacks, etc and the time spent shopping and preparing is unmeasurable and stressful. It seems that if I am eating sugar, I am bound by it; and if I am not eating sugar, I am bound by it anyway due to all the work to avoid it. I’m tired. Any wisdom. Anyone?
DavidVanadia
Jun 15, 2011
You got me thinking. If we keep concentrating on what we gave up instead of what we’re gaining, then not being sweet is torture. I’m going to focus on (get obsessed about) other things besides sugar or avoiding sugar, such as healthy cooking and exercise. There is more to life!
Suzanna
Jun 16, 2011
Agreed!
Digby
Jun 23, 2011
Excellent post. When I was a kid in the fifties, foods were in limited places, now you find food at gas stations, drug stores, fastfood on every corner, chocolate at the Macy’s underwear counters. If you happen to be in a low place, tired hungry, stressed—it can be overwhelming. Only abstenence saves me from caving as I did for years.
Suzanna
Jun 23, 2011
Yea. I agree. I like what St. Augustine wrote many years ago, “To many, total abstinence is easier than perfect moderation.”
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I realized I had a sugar problem back in 2003 after a weekend-long binge on raw chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate covered pretzels. As a result, I began trying to quit sugar but kept failing. Finally, I figured out a way to stay off sweet junk food for good.
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Jun 15, 2011