"Fate (or whatever it is) delights to produce a great capacity and then frustrate it. Beethoven went deaf. By our standards a mean joke; the monkey trick of a spiteful imbecile."- C.S. Lewis (A Grief Observed)Someone at work whom I know rather well went to the hospital this week for pancreatitis. It is possible that he will not be allowed to drink any more, which is something that he likes to do in his recreation time. This wouldn't be a big deal to me, but to him I am sure it is. Note that I have no intention of making any value judgments about alcohol consumption here because I have a different purpose for this post.
It seems that when someone really likes something, that this puts that individual at a greater risk for losing that thing. I doubt many people would disagree with this. While I don't believe it was Beethoven's fault he went deaf, I have heard that music lovers are particularly susceptible to tinnitus because constant sound can impact hearing. People with a sweet tooth are more likely to develop diabetes later in life. Athletes often injure the parts of their bodies they most need to participate in their sport.
Probably the things that will do me in is my love for salt and red meat. I often crave salty foods and/or beef products (though I am not a fan of corned beef, interestingly enough). I am sure that there will be implications for this if I am not careful, though I do not know if they are as bad as having an inflamed pancreas. I expect that I will be told to trim salt and red meat from my diet some day, and I just hope that day is far in the future.
I presume, though I do not know this for sure, that God built our bodies so that we cannot handle large amounts of the things we like so that we don't make those things too important in our lives. I can't eat a steak and french fries every day if I want to be able to enjoy life beyond the age of fifty, since I do know it will eventually impact my quality of life. Even so, it would be normal for the person no longer allowed to partake in the source of their pleasure to question the wisdom of a God who creates something enjoyable then takes it away.
While I do not currently question God's wisdom in this matter, that could just be because I can still eat steak.
8 comments:
food for thought : ) nice post
Really, out of everything you like--red meat and salt are the top of the list?!
I agree with your concept. Often things we love we have to go without. I also think the reverse is also true. Being told we have to go without makes us want or love things more.
They are the most likely things that I will have to give up in the future due to overuse in the present. :)
I think Wah-Wah would agree you concept. I think she would enjoy a nice pizza if she could have one.
At first, I missed wheat and dairy a great deal, but I am learning to find substitutes. They are poor ones compared to what bb and the kids eat, but they satisfy somewhat. I have learned that I am much happier and feel much better when I avoid these things. my mother-in-law, on the other heand, is a pretty severe diabetic and struggles greatly with giving up sweets.
It's all about level of probabilities isn't it. Not saying that you loose everything you love, but your chances are increased when you give a specific something more time.
I think people who see immediate consequences, like me, have it easier. It's easy for me not to eat pizza because within an hour I will want to die, but diabetics like my mother-in-law who don't have immediate repercussions really struggle with giving things up.
Good post - I've been telling myself the same thing a bit lately. So far it's only gotten me as far as ordering a salad instead of fries with my steak ... but I'm sure the sad says of 'chicken' are down the road for me too.
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